go:LEIF electric boat charging project
Since the EU gave the green light, the progress has been swift. The aim of the project is to help establish a charging corridor for electric boats along the coast from Gothenburg to Agder in Norway, thereby contributing to the green transition.
The go:LEIF project aims to be part of the green transition through electrification, smart technology, and sustainable business models. With a prominent leisure boat culture, numerous harbours, marine tourist destinations, and a tradition of boat manufacturing, the Skagerrak region is well-positioned for a rapid shift to electrification.
Contributing to the green transition
Sweden and Norway together have one million motorised leisure boats. Nearly all are powered by fossil fuels, with CO2 emissions estimated at over 400,000 tonnes per year, plus environmentally harmful substances. The Swedish-Norwegian electric boat charging project aims to help establish a charging corridor for electric boats in leisure boat harbours between Gothenburg and Strömstad, into the Oslofjord, and further south on the other side of Skagerrak to Agder in Norway. The project’s goal is to contribute to the green transition through electrification, smart technology, and sustainable business models.
Excellent conditions for transition
With a well-established leisure boating culture, many harbours, marine tourist destinations, and a tradition of boat manufacturing, the Skagerrak region is well-suited for rapid transition to electric boat charging and related services. The region also has relevant technology suppliers and substantial expertise in vehicle electrification, which the project will explore for the shared use of charging infrastructure.
“There is a wealth of knowledge and competence from other industries that have already made this journey, such as the automotive industry. Many solutions from this sector can be adapted to a maritime environment, which we believe will accelerate the transition,” says Madeleine Lilja, Project Manager at Business Region Göteborg.
“We believe it is important to collaborate and create synergies to both share and co-invest in infrastructure, rather than building separate infrastructures,” adds Madeleine.
Acceleration the green shift through collaboration
Norway is ahead of Sweden in the transition to electrified leisure boats. For instance, there has been an electric boat association for several years working towards the green shift for leisure boats. In Arendal Municipality, work is ongoing with both charging plans and maps, and the electric boat festival Lydløs is a well-attended event for the future of boating. By collaborating Sweden and Norway can speed up the transition in both countries further.
The go:LEIF project includes testing and demonstrations, which can lead to new innovations to meet the needs and challenges of technological development. And it's happening fast; in just a few years, the demand for electricity for electrified transport have increased significantly.
“In the future, more and more new boats will be equipped with fully electric or hybrid drivetrains. The number of older boats switching to electric motors is increasing and is perhaps the fastest-growing market. Charging the boats is a crucial issue and one of the biggest challenges when it comes to the transition,” says Madeleine.
Project Facts
The go:LEIF electric boat charging project aims to be part of the green transition through electrification, smart technology, and sustainable business models. The collaboration operates under the name go:LEIF.
The project aims to help establish a charging corridor for electric boats in leisure boat harbours along the coast from Gothenburg to Kristiansand in Norway. Among other things, over 400 charging points will be established in project harbours in Lysekil, Arendal in Norway, and Grefab’s harbours in Gothenburg.
Project duration: 1st March 2023 – 31st December 2025
Co-financiers: ÖKS Interreg – European Union Interreg Öresund-Kattegatt-Skagerrak and the Västra Götaland Region.
Project partners: Agder County Municipality, Arendal Municipality, Business Region Göteborg, the Lydløs Association, Fyrbodal Municipal Association, Grefab, Gothenburg Region, Innovatum Science Park, LEVA, Lysekil Municipality, RISE, and the University of South-Eastern Norway (USN).