Welcome to this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet. Today, we’re looking at the potential of electrifying ships, hauling cargo, and those involved in tourism to cut up to 3% of the emissions of greenhouse gases on water. If cars can go green, why not ships? Joining me today is Marcelino Alvarez, CEO of Photon Marine, a company manufacturing electric propulsion products for the marine environment.
Join us as we delve into the electrification of commercial boat fleets. Marcelino, the CEO of Photon Marine, shares his inspiration for developing cutting-edge electric propulsion systems for commercial boats. He also discusses the significant environmental benefits of reducing emissions and noise pollution.
We’ll explore the challenges and opportunities in this industry, including the growing interest and demand from fishing communities and tourism operators. Discover how Photon Marine’s innovative products are making a tangible difference and their strategic plans for supplying motors and batteries to boat operators.
I think every job is going to have a climate aspect to it in the future. So, I encourage people to join climate-focused groups in their local communities, build networks, and start learning about the challenges that we’re facing and how they can contribute their knowledge and insights to climate tech start-ups or organizations
— Marcelino Alvarez, CEO of Photon Marine
About Marcelino
Marcelino is a lifelong boater who grew up fishing and scuba diving in South Florida. As the CEO of Photon Marine, his vision is to preserve the planet’s waterways and oceans through the adoption of electric propulsion technology. Compared to boats powered by internal combustion engines, their product will reduce the total cost of ownership by almost half and require less maintenance without sacrificing performance while eliminating the use of fossil fuels.
He began his career in advertising, producing digital campaigns at Crispin Porter + Bogusky and Wieden + Kennedy. Afterwards, he founded Uncorked Studios, a product design firm that helped companies such as Samsung, Nike, Google, Intel, and Adidas bring innovative software and hardware products to market. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from Duke University.
The Challenge
We’ve had a number of episodes focused on electrifying or otherwise decarbonizing cars and trucks on land. It’s time to shift the conversation to decarbonizing on the water with electric shipping fleets. A big challenge is the fact that electronics and salt water don’t mix well. Conventional gas-powered boats create noise and other pollution in marine ecosystems, and the health of those ecosystems is, of course, such a key part of having a healthy planet. Also, businesses that rely on boats face unique challenges that electrification can address. Marcelino’s company has overcome the challenges of operating electric propulsion systems in a marine environment.
Want to learn more?
Check out the key takeaways of this episode below. Better still, listen to the podcast!
Key highlights
- 04:54 – 10:08 – Unique challenges and opportunities in electrifying ships: Marcelino explains that focusing on electrifying commercial shipping fleets powered by fossil fuels is crucial for significant progress in decarbonizing water transportation. Not only does this add to greenhouse gas emissions since the ships are always on the water, but it is also an expensive solution for the shipping companies since the ships need to be serviced every six weeks or so. Protecting the electric propulsion systems from the salty sea water and the humidity in the air is a challenge that Photon Marine has overcome. The opportunities for electrification, though, are endless and stretch from commercial ships to tourism ships and down to the fishing trawlers.
- 14:07 – 17:02 – The environmental impact of electric shipping: Marcelino emphasizes that solely relying on electric outboard motors for carbon reduction overlooks other impactful factors. He highlights environmental benefits such as reducing unburnt fuel release from outdated engines, oil spills at marinas, and noise pollution’s impact on marine life and human health. They advocate for considering multiple metrics and stress the importance of transitioning to electric systems for environmental and societal benefits.
- 17:40 – 22:53 – The software and hardware tech pack: Marcelino discusses the necessity of vessel software for electric propulsion systems, including basic functions like speed and range indicators. They suggest additional features, such as real-time vessel tracking and charging monitoring, to enhance operational efficiency. They also anticipate optimizing energy usage based on task requirements, akin to eco and comfort modes in cars, and tailoring power profiles for different operations, offering commercial operators greater control and efficiency.
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