Charging Solutions for E-planes on Seaports
Customized DCFC Project
Harbour Air is one of the world’s largest all-seaplane airlines in the world, flying over 500,000 passengers a year (prior to March 2020). In December 2019, Harbour Air completed the world’s first fully electric commercial flight in Richmond, BC the first step in a commitment to build the world’s first all-electric commercial airline.
Harbour Air has partnered with LeadingAhead Energy (LAE) to provide technical expertise and project management services to deploy DCFC infrastructure across all its 10+ seaplane terminals across British Columbia and Washington State. Nanaimo and Vancouver terminals have been selected as the sites for the first phase of the rollout.
Project Objective
Decarbonizing Airflight
Deploy DCFC infrastructure that will enable Harbour Air to become the world’s first all-electric commercial airline.
Challenges
This is a challenging project because DC’s fast charging infrastructure dedicated to e-seaplane use has never been installed before.
Process
This project carries substantially more risk because of the unknowns of the operating environment and the evolving charging requirements for an e-seaplane that is still in development.
Results
LAE is leveraging its technical expertise and experience along with its engineering design partners to develop a robust expandable design solution that could be applied to the other terminals in Harbour Air’s portfolio.
Project Insights
The Nanaimo Harbour Water Airport project (ZNA) is currently in the project application phase with construction expected to commence in Q4 2023.
Harbour Air has partnered with LAE to provide technical expertise and project management services to deploy DCFC infrastructure across all its 10+ seaplane terminals across British Columbia and Washington State.
Erika Holts – Engineering and Quality Manager, Harbour Air