Boat club goes electric as part of Thames clean up

A west London boat club launched an electric boat to reduce emissions on the River Thames and improve access to the water for under-served communities. The Fulham Reach Boat Club plans to electrify all motorised boats by replacing petrol engines with quieter, zero-emission alternatives. The electric craft produces no engine noise and no harmful carbon dioxide emissions. The club aims to use rowing and river activities to help local communities become physically active and experience wildlife and nature on the Thames. The river was declared biologically dead in the 1950s, but clean-up efforts have increased biodiversity, including 125 fish species and seals. The Port of London Authority faces criticism over pollution and vessel emissions, while targeting major water quality improvements by 2050.

"A west London boat club has launched an electric boat as part of efforts to reduce emissions on the River Thames and improve access to the water for under-served communities. The Fulham Reach Boat Club hopes to eventually electrify all of its motorised boats, replacing petrol engines with quieter, zero-emission alternatives. Unlike traditional petrol-powered boats, the electric craft - which was funded by the Port of London Authority (PLA) - produces no engine noise or harmful carbon dioxide emissions."

"Chief executive Adam Freeman-Pask told Politics London the club's wider mission was to use rowing and river activities to benefit local communities. "We're all about using sport for the power of good and we want to reach under-served communities and give them a unique and amazing opportunity to get physically active - but also to experience what essentially is the wonderful wildlife and nature here on the River Thames," he said."

"The Thames was declared biologically dead by scientists at the Natural History Museum in the 1950s. Following decades of clean-up work, the river is now home to 125 species of fish as well as seals. The PLA, which governs the tidal Thames, has faced criticism over pollution and vessel emissions. Grace Staines from the authority said water quality "definitely needs to be improved" on the river, "although we've made fantastic strides already"."

"The PLA aims for the Thames between Teddington Lock and the North Sea to become its cleanest since the Industrial Revolution by 2050."

Read at www.bbc.com