Faroe Islander Eyðun Egholm enjoys his fishing, but from now on, you won’t find Eyðun in a boat with a loud, carbon-emitting diesel-powered outboard motor. Instead, Eyðun now propels his boat Egholm with energy produced from a small wind turbine and three small solar panels that charge his 20-horsepower Elco electric motor. This is the first Faroese boat to be run solely by electricity.
Electric boats are becoming increasingly popular due to the desire for reduced pollution and noise, and the promise of cheaper operation and easier maintenance.
“The biggest difference between the diesel engine and this electric motor is the noise,” says Eyðun. “The electric motor makes much less noise, and you get rid of the smell of diesel and also excess diesel.”
The Rutland wind turbine has a diameter of 120cm and has a high-power delivery up to 500W. The solar panels deliver up to 120W each.
“I’m quite curious by nature and have always been interested in the technology of things,” says Eyðun. “I’ve seen these types of boats in Copenhagen, where you can rent and sail them yourself. I’m also conscious of the environment and I’m excited to see how environmentally-friendly I can get the boat. Perhaps at one point I can stop charging the batteries on land completely.”
The ‘green’ option is still the more expensive, however. The new equipment has cost Eyðun around DKK120,000 in total, while diesel-run engines cost between DKK70-80,000.
Eyðun’s boat was showcased at this summer’s Sjómannadagar (Fisherman’s Days) in Klaksvík.
Image credits: Kringvarp Føroya (kvf.fo)
This article was originally published on faroeislands.fo
