Nova Scotia-based BlueGrid is making waves in marine innovation with electric vessels that double as grid assets.
The urgent realities of climate change demand innovation across all sectors—and the marine industry is no exception. In 2023 alone, marine vessels released 3.7 megatonnes of CO₂ into Canada's atmosphere, underscoring the need for cleaner, scalable alternatives.
Electric marine vessels were first introduced in the 19th century, but were eventually replaced by their cheaper gas-powered alternatives. Today, they’re making a comeback, and Nova Scotia is at the forefront of this electric transformation. The Membertou First Nation, alongside partners Allswater, BlueGrid Energy, and Oceans North, is set to make history by launching “L'Ektrikel Walipotl,” Canada's very first all-electric lobster fishing boat. Announced in October 2023, the vessel is currently under development and is slated for full deployment next year.
BlueGrid, a Halifax-based company, is helping Canada’s marine sector lead this shift. Their innovative vessel-to-grid (V2G) technology enables electric boats to operate as virtual power plants—supporting grid resilience, reducing emissions, and even creating new revenue streams for vessel owners. Their intelligent SaaS platform, BlueGrid Insights, accelerates sales of electric boats through optimizing system design and lifetime energy use, reducing up-front equipment costs and turning idle marine fleets into valuable clean energy assets.
Foresight’s Stacey Armstrong, Senior Manager of Digital Marketing, visited BlueGrid in Halifax to learn more. In the Q&A below, Trevor Hennigar, Chief Operating Officer, shares what drives the BlueGrid team, how their technology works, and why community-led marine innovation is critical to Canada’s clean energy future.
Unpacking the Why
Q: What inspired the founding of BlueGrid Energy, and how has the company evolved?
A: Inspired by the staggering annual emissions of global fishing fleets—equivalent to those of 45 million cars—BlueGrid was founded to cost-effectively decarbonize the marine sector through innovative technology. Since it began this journey in 2022, the company has grown into a global leader in vessel electrification intelligence and V2G technology, becoming a key partner in launching the world’s first V2G-enabled lobster boats and completing successful world-first demonstrations in Halifax, with expansion underway across Canada, the UK, and Europe.
Q: Why focus on marine electrification and V2G technology?
A: We recognized early on that the maritime sector would adopt plug-in electric solutions as the most cost-effective path to decarbonization. In Atlantic Canada alone, many of its 15,000 fishing vessels could be electrified but sit idle during the winter months—representing over 5 GWh of valuable untapped energy storage available when the grid needs it most. With BlueGrid's planning insights and V2G technology, these vessels can generate new revenue while helping electric boats reach and exceed cost parity with traditional fossil fuel-powered alternatives. Backed by deep expertise in data analytics, BlueGrid developed a platform that provides actionable intelligence—optimizing electrification sales, planning, and operations to make marine electrification both sustainable and economically viable.
Decoding the Tech
Q: What makes your V2G platform a breakthrough for marine electrification?
A: BlueGrid’s V2G system enables electric vessels to charge during low-demand periods and discharge energy back to the grid during peak times—stabilizing the grid, supporting renewable integration, and generating revenue. Its platform, BlueGrid Insights, is a breakthrough solution that integrates telematics, environmental, and grid data to optimize system sizing, cost efficiency, and revenue potential to help its customers accelerate sales, while addressing marine-specific challenges such as port infrastructure and operational variability.
Q: Why is it important for marine sector leaders to make smarter, faster technology adoption decisions?
A: Rapid adoption of electric and hybrid vessels is essential to meet environmental regulations, reduce emissions, and achieve cost parity with traditional vessels, while simultaneously reducing health issues from noise pollution and air quality.
Q: What technical challenges have you overcome?
A: Challenges included ensuring compatibility with diverse marine systems, managing harsh marine environments, and integrating; complex datasets—all of which BlueGrid addressed through advanced analytics. Through collaborations with industry-leading partners like Evoy, Photon Marine, Aqua SuperPower, we’ve developed and validated a system that meets the marine sector’s demanding operational needs.
Q: When it comes to driving electrification in a legacy industry, what’s been your biggest lesson?
A: Demonstrating clear economic and environmental benefits through trusted data and performance is essential. But our role isn’t just technical—it’s relational. Making it painless for our partners and customers to get the required insights and then confidently communicate those insights with those purchasing electric boats and charging infrastructure has been key to overcoming resistance, while staying patient and focused on the long-term opportunity within the industry.
Transformative Projects
Q: How has the Canada-UK Vessel-to-Grid (CanUK V2G) project helped build commercial momentum?
A: The $2.3 million CanUK V2G project—launched in 2024 in partnership with Aqua SuperPower with funding from Canada's Ocean Supercluster and Innovate UK—is accelerating the adoption of electric-first vessels. By enabling cost savings of up to 30% and creating new revenue through grid participation, BlueGrid is demonstrating the commercial viability of V2G technology. Project participation from Lennox Island First Nation and RS Electric Boats supports scalable bi-directional charging, with demonstrations planned for Halifax and Plymouth. These real-world deployments are boosting confidence among vessel owners, helping standardize V2G integration, and driving market growth. The CanUK V2G project is positioning Canada and the UK as global leaders in marine electrification.
Q: How is the Canadian Electric Propulsion Acceleration Coalition (CEPAC) Project advancing electrification across Canada?
A: CEPAC, a $7 million initiative led by Photon Marine Canada and supported by Canada’s Ocean Supercluster, unites partners like ABCO Industries, Rosborough Boats, VoltSafe, and Mostar Labs scale deployment of electric vessels and charging systems in Nova Scotia and British Columbia, all while leveraging BlueGrid’s technology to reduce up-front costs and create V2G revenue. It’s creating jobs, strengthening the domestic supply chain, and positioning Canada as a global leader in marine electrification and decarbonization.
Collaboration for Growth
Q: How does community engagement shape your work?
A: Community engagement is central to BlueGrid’s mission to advance marine electrification in ways that reflect the needs and aspirations of coastal communities. In an innovative community-focused project led by Ignite Atlantic, we worked closely with local fishers and partners to assess the viability of electrifying Nova Scotia’s commercial fishing boats. By incorporating community input on operational realities and infrastructure challenges, we were able to tailor electrification strategies that are both sustainable and economically practical.
The L’Ektrikel Walipotl project is another example of community-driven innovation. This project, developing Canada’s first V2G enabled electric lobster boat, was shaped by the Membertou First Nation’s vision for a sustainable fishery. Through BlueGrid’s wharf assessments and data collection from Membertou’s fishing vessels, the project team incorporated community feedback to design a vessel and bi-directional charging system that meets fishers’ needs while supporting grid resilience.
By prioritizing local knowledge, BlueGrid Insights continues to refine its data analytics platform to deliver actionable, community-informed solutions—building trust, driving adoption, and supporting transformative change across the maritime industry
Q: What's been the key to building strong strategic partnerships?
A: The key is aligning on shared goals and consistently delivering transparent, data-driven value. Whether working with First Nations, international funders, or technology collaborators, providing actionable intelligence that improves electrification outcomes builds trust and fosters the kind of collaboration that drives both innovation and adoption across a wide range of partners.
Q: How has Foresight’s Access to Capital program supported your growth?
A: Foresight’s Access to Capital program connected us to critical funding and strategic advice that helped scale our platform and operations, while expanding our market reach—accelerating the deployment of V2G solutions and amplifying their environmental and economic impact.
Scalable Impact
Q: What kind of impact are you seeing through pilot projects?
A: Our pilots are reducing emissions on par with taking thousands of cars off the road and delivering up to 20% in operating cost reductions. Economically, they’re also cutting capital expenditures through optimized electrification planning and enabling V2G revenue streams that could deliver enough revenue annually to vessel owners that can offset a significant portion of the cost of batteries and charging infrastructure.
Q: How do you see your work contributing to job creation and clean energy leadership?
A: Marine electrification is creating new green jobs across the sector—from designing and building electric and hybrid vessels to installing and maintaining shoreside charging infrastructure. BlueGrid supports this growth by enabling the creation of high-skilled roles in tech development, data analytics, and marine operations through the intelligence needed to scale electrification. By positioning Atlantic Canada as a hub for marine innovation, BlueGrid is helping attract investment and foster a strong culture of clean energy leadership.
An Electric Future
Solving tough cleantech problems, like decarbonizing marine transport, demands relentless personal perseverance. Stay driven by the vision of transformative change—push through setbacks, embrace failure as a teacher; each iteration hones your solution.
Andrew Boswell CEO, BlueGrid
Q: What’s next for BlueGrid?
A: We’re scaling our technology globally, and leveraging AI and machine learning to enhance BlueGrid Insights for smarter energy optimization. This expansion includes strengthening community projects such as L’Ektrikel Walipotl, increasing presence in Europe and the North American West Coast, and working with international ports and grid operators to accelerate worldwide electric vessel adoption.
Q: What’s the global potential of marine electrification by 2035?
A: Looking ahead, marine electrification has the potential to transform markets across Canada, the US, Europe, and beyond—driven by falling battery costs, stricter emissions regulations, and V2G advancements:
- Canada could see up to 40% electrification across 30,000–40,000 workboats and 750,000 recreational vessels, though remote charging remains a challenge.
- The US may achieve 20–30% electrification of 2.4–3.6 million recreational vessels and 30,000–60,000 workboats, with deep-sea operations posing limitations.
- Europe is on track for 40–50% electrification, propelled by ambitious climate policies and funding mechanisms.
- Globally, 10–12 million of the world’s 30–35 million powered boats could convert to electric, as the marine battery market grows from $1.2 billion in 2025 to $5–7 billion by 2035.
BlueGrid Insights is accelerating this transition by optimizing how vessels integrate with the grid, unlocking new V2G revenue streams, and informing smarter, data-driven electrification strategies. As demonstrated in the 2024 Evoy/ABCO pilot and other deployments, BlueGrid’s data-driven approach supports the development of up to 500 GWh of grid storage capacity globally by 2035—contributing meaningfully to Canada’s net zero goals.
Q: What advice would you give to other cleantech entrepreneurs?
A: Work with customers and partners who share the vision and its impact. Build resilience by seeking mentors and collaborators who challenge and ground your ideas, ensuring they solve real problems. Stay adaptable, pivoting with evolving tech and market demands, and never lose sight of the grit needed to turn bold ideas into reality to have a real impact.
Q: What ecosystem strengths in Atlantic Canada have supported your success?
A: Atlantic Canada’s strong culture of collaboration, deep marine expertise, and commitment to sustainability have been essential to our success. Access to funding and insights from Canada’s Ocean Supercluster, combined with partnerships with leading research institutions, has accelerated our growth. The region’s top-tier talent has also been a key driver. Organizations like Foresight have provided strategic guidance, helping BlueGrid scale and positioning Atlantic Canada as a leader in marine electrification.
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