Boat services in Vaikom go green with solar-powered fleet and shore charging

Set along the tranquil backwaters of Vembanad, Vaikom is poised to become the nation’s first energy-neutral boat station by fully transitioning to solar-powered boat services and operations.

On February 20, Transport Minister K.B. Ganesh Kumar will flag off the shift by inaugurating three new solar-powered boats that will replace the remaining diesel vessels in service. At the same time, the Agency for Non-Conventional Energy and Rural Technology (ANERT), the State government’s nodal agency for renewable energy promotion, will launch parallel works to convert the station’s entire operations to solar power.

The journey towards this milestone began in 2017, when the State Water Transport Department (SWTD) introduced Aditya, Kerala’s first solar-powered passenger boat, from Vaikom. With the induction of the new vessels, every scheduled service from the jetty will run without fossil fuels, cutting operating costs while slashing carbon emissions, water pollution, and noise.

The cost of building a single solar-powered boat, equipped with an 80 kWh battery, is ₹3.15 crore. Operating at an average speed of 10.8 km per hour, the boats can cover the route from Vaikom to Thavanakadavu in just 15 minutes, five minutes faster than conventional diesel boats. Each boat can accommodate up to 75 passengers.

“When one diesel boat is replaced by a solar boat, nearly 40 tonnes of carbon emissions can be avoided annually. At the same time, the fall in operating expenses improves the commercial viability of water transport. We plan to expand solar adoption across the State in phases,” said an official with the SWTD.

Officials say the new boats come with a significantly enhanced battery capacity of 80 kWh, allowing longer operating hours even after sunset. The earlier vessel had a 50-kWh capacity, restricting services largely to daylight hours between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. With the upgraded storage, operations can now continue until around 9 p.m.

In addition to the 20 kW solar panels installed on the boats, steps are also being taken to set up shore charging facilities at the station, said Shaji V. Nair, Director of the Department of Water Transport. Once completed, everything from lighting to boat charging during docking will run on solar energy.

Official sources said the conversion of the boat station to solar power is estimated to cost about ₹30 lakh. These vessels can draw energy both from onboard solar panels and the grid when required. Earlier, grid charging alone cost the department around ₹400 to ₹500 per cycle and this expenditure is expected to drop sharply once the solar ecosystem becomes fully operational.