VTO Project

The Alaska Longline Fishermen's Association is working with the Department of Energy's Vehicle (vessel, in our case!) Technology Office to reduce carbon emissions in our fishing fleet through innovative propulsion systems. Funded projects may include hybrid diesel-battery, full electric inboard or outboard, or diesel-electric system design and installation.

ALFA continues to explore opportunities to reduce the carbon footprint of our fleet through improved fuel use awareness and efficiency. Working with Chandler Kemp, ALFA is also developing blueprints for converting commercial fishing boats from diesel to hybrid diesel/electric and, eventually, hydrogen fuel cell or full electric. In 2021, ALFA was one of 11 “communities” nationwide that received an Energy Transitions Initiative Partnerships Project (ETIPP) award to work with the National Research Energy Laboratory on the fleet conversion project. The Lab guided ALFA’s energy conversion project through 2021 and 2022 and proved to be a tremendous resource. While we continue to work toward a zero-carbon boat, the Labs helped us identify that the viable next step is a hybrid diesel/electric boat. With generous support from the Acme Seafood Company and the AgWest Farm Credit Services, ALFA installed electric deck equipment on one troller/longliner and, in 2025, has now converted a longliner to hybrid propulsion using the Transfluid system. We expect this to be the first commercial fishing boat hybrid in the country–but hopefully the first of many!

ALFA was awarded $700,000 from DOE to convert two commercial fishing boats to hybrid power and one mariculture vessel to electric.

Project Details

The R/V Mirage was chosen for the demonstration project based on expected fuel savings, replicability within the fleet, and overall project compatibility.

Project Outcomes include:

1.) Extension of the marine vessel decarbonization network.

2.) ALFA will facilitate a recruitment effort to accelerate an energy transition in the fishing fleet.

Implementation Schedule:

Sea Trials are scheduled for March 2024; Kempy Energetics to lead trials. The expected time to complete the trials is about 8 hours, including 2 hours at sea.

Vessel energy profile and component sizing, March to July 2024 -- To observe the energy use through a season, a Maretron data logging system was installed to observe fuel consumption, hydraulic use, tachometer readout, and vessel speed.

Transfluid Equipment arrives in Sitka in March 2025

Retrofit of the F/V Mirage in November 2025 – We will work with local marine experts and a hybrid system supplier; the vessel will be retrofitted in Sitka.

Launch of F/V Mirage February 2026!

Sea Trials after retrofit, January/February 2026 — We teamed up with the hybrid supplier to ensure proper commissioning of the system and to test the realized benefits of the hybrid vessel.

Ongoing Public outreach - to report the benefits and challenges of hybridization, including press reports and interviews of involved parties. These appointments would take into account the fishing season.