Environmental and health impacts of electric service vessels in the recreational boating industry
| Autor: | Michael Pascucilla, Colin Hemez, Robert Dubrow, Joy E. Chiu, Emma C. Ryan, Jia Sun |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2020 |
| Předmět: |
Service (business)
020209 energy 0202 electrical engineering electronic engineering information engineering Environmental science 02 engineering and technology 010501 environmental sciences 01 natural sciences Environmental planning Recreation 0105 earth and related environmental sciences Water Science and Technology |
| Zdroj: | Water Practice and Technology. 15:781-796 |
| ISSN: | 1751-231X |
| DOI: | 10.2166/wpt.2020.063 |
| Popis: | Recreational boating is increasing in popularity worldwide, prompting challenges concerning pollution management, aquatic ecosystem preservation, and waterway access. Electric boating technology may provide a sustainable alternative to gasoline-powered boats, helping to address these challenges. In this study, the environmental and health impacts associated with using electric service vessels in the recreational boating industry were assessed. The focus was on pump-out boats, which enable the sanitary management of human waste generated onboard recreational vessels, as a tractable model of the whole recreational boating service sector. To query stakeholder attitudes about changing to electric technology, surveys were distributed to a nationwide network of pump-out boat service providers. A wide range of attitudes exists among this group towards the adoption of electric technology, and financial concerns dominate the anticipated barriers to electric technology adoption. A life-cycle assessment of electric and gasoline-powered pump-out boats revealed that electric boats have lower lifetime greenhouse gas emissions than do gasoline-powered equivalents, especially when electric boats are charged using renewable resources. Our study demonstrates that already-existing electric technology is a sustainable alternative to gasoline combustion in the boating service sector, and identifies the key challenges remaining for the widespread adoption of electric service boats. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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