Convo: James Richmond on Electric Propulsion and Decarbonizing Boats
In this episode of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with James Richmond, President of Sunwater Marine.
James has been sailing since he was 4 years old. He has 37 years of experience in the renewable and energy-efficiency industry, having developed and managed over $140M in energy-savings projects in the USA. He is a Certified Energy Manager, Association of Energy Engineers. With a broad spectrum of lifetime accomplishments and innovations, James’ new frontier is to expand the benefits of renewable energy and electric propulsion to boat owners in California.
He and Ted discuss his early years and love for sailing, attending the University of Michigan to study Naval Architecture, and their shared experience of setting sail on the Ramblin’ Rose, a 40-foot sailing yacht powered by solar panels and electric propulsion. It’s one of the only vessels of its kind on the West Coast. The Ramblin’ Rose generates enough solar energy for instruments, auxiliary systems, cooking, and low-speed propulsion needed to get wind to sail.