Electric boats are non-starters without a better power grid

A new analysis from Menon Economics shows that the Norwegian Maritime Authority's proposal for drastic emission cuts for aquaculture vessels cannot be implemented without a sharp increase in electricity and grid capacity in the seafood regions, aquaculture research funding body FHF says in a press release.

“For us, this is practically impossible as the situation is today. We operate in areas where grid capacity is already stretched, and where it can take many years to put in place a grid powerful enough to charge large batteries in aquaculture vessels,” says Ragnar Sæternes, research and development coordinator at salmon farmer Sinkaberg.

The company has operations in Helgeland and Trøndelag – regions where a lack of electricity network capacity is already limiting both growth and restructuring.

The government has submitted for consultation a proposal for new regulations that require that 90% of the energy use for work and passenger vessels in the aquaculture industry be emission-free.

For existing service vessels under 15 metres, the requirements are planned to be met in the period 2035-2040.

Lots of time and expense

A new report from Menon Economics, funded by FHF, shows that such a requirement will not be possible to implement without extensive and time-consuming investments.

“The survey shows that the requirements cannot be implemented without extensive and time-consuming network development, long delays or systematic use of exemptions,” says project manager Oddbjørn Grønvik at Menon Economics. 

The Norwegian Maritime Authority has been tasked with studying the proposal for new regulations. The proposal is based, among other things, on a survey from ship classification expert DNV, which shows that many aquaculture vessels can technically be electrified. 

But according to Menon Economics, there is a huge gap between technical possibility and actual feasibility. 

“Even if challenges in network access were to be resolved, there is also a question of whether it is realistic to solve the most time- and energy-consuming tasks from the aquaculture fleet in a way that satisfies the requirements of the regulations,” says Grønvik. 

Limited room for manoeuvre

The Menon report builds on the company’s previous mapping, commissioned by FHF, of network capacity in key seafood regions, published in the autumn of 2025.

The analysis showed that large parts of the coast – especially in Northern Norway and Western Norway – already have limited room for manoeuvre for new power consumption.

The new analysis shows that electrification of aquaculture vessels could increase power requirements by up to 170% compared to current total power use in the seafood industry.

Around 68% of this need hits areas where the power grid is already strained.

“These are the same regions where aquaculture activity is greatest, and where growth and restructuring are already being slowed by lack of internet access,” says Grønvik.

Confirms industry concerns

Industry organisation Seafood Norway also believes that the report confirms what the industry has long warned against. Regional manager Kine Mari Karlsen points out that the analysis provides a necessary correction to the consultation proposal.

“The seafood industry is, and wants to continue to be, at the forefront of efforts to reduce its climate footprint – even from an already low starting point,” says Karlsen.

“But the authorities cannot set climate requirements that require access to electricity and charging solutions along the entire coast, without this very prerequisite being in place. Then it becomes pure symbolic politics, where it is a given in advance that the requirement is unrealistic.”

Seafood Norway has previously branded the deadlines in the proposed regulations as completely unrealistic, and pointed out that lack of power capacity along the coast makes rapid electrification impossible in many places.

“We cannot impose a desired restructuring and major investments on the industry without at the same time providing infrastructure and framework conditions that make the goals achievable,” concludes Karlsen.