P.E.I. firm gets funding for further development of hybrid lobster fishing boat

The federal government is giving Aspin Kemp & Associates $340,000 for the further development of a hybrid lobster fishing boat.

The Montague-based engineering firm showcased its new diesel-electric hybrid model for the first time earlier this month at a boat show in Moncton. The vessel is designed for inshore lobster fishery.

On Wednesday, the government announced it will fund the project through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, saying it will help spur clean growth in the region.

Aspin Kemp has developed hybrid systems for larger vessels in the past. But CEO Jason Aspin said the company has been building toward entering the small boat market for over a decade.

"We've always looked at the small boat market as a spot that we would like to work in," he said. "But it's taken quite a while to get the technology to the point where that sort of base price makes sense on a smaller vessel.

"Having been working in that space now for 15 years, we feel that we're at that point."

Aspin said the bigger boats often have requirements unique to each vessel that ultimately end up driving up costs. But the company is striving to "totally standardize" things for the lobster boats, which would help lower the price.

He said the hybrid boats will be more expensive than non-hybrid competitors, but that the price gap will be as small as possible.

"We're trying to build the business case that it will save the equivalent amount in fuel over a short period of time," he said. 

The boat is powered by batteries made in P.E.I. The technology and system designs are all done locally.

Aspin Kemp has also been working with another company on a retrofit solution so that older boats can also get the hybrid system installed. Aspin said the company aims to start doing retrofits within the next six months.

He said the fishing industry is becoming increasingly aware of the need to reduce its carbon footprint and that there is a "real hunger" for solutions such as hybrid boats.

"The small boat market is responsible for a lot of the emissions that we see and … there really needs to be a solution to reduce emissions and ultimately to go to zero emissions," he said. "So as a company we are focusing on that market now."

P.E.I. is also providing a grant of $20,000.