BELLINGHAM — Gov. Jay Inslee visited Bellingham, Monday, Jan. 23, to celebrate the opening of the Corvus Energy facility. Corvus Energy is a Norwegian company specializing in hybrid- and zero-emission marine vessels.
“It is a dream come true to see the production of vessels, including large vessels, and have it happen in our state, and have it happen in Bellingham, it is a personal thrill. It is a vision I have had for a decade and a half coming to pass,” Inslee told The Bellingham Herald. “For me, it’s like showing up at Disneyland and finding out it’s an actual reality.”
The Fairhaven facility is the first Corvus Energy facility in the United States.
Corvus Energy CEO Geir Bjorkeli said the company was looking to establish a location in the U.S. to show there is a future in electric propulsion technology. Bellingham, specifically Fairhaven, was chosen because of the maritime nature of the state and the Port of Bellingham accommodating the company’s needs, even finding the facility for Corvus.
“It is yet another testament to the relationship between Norway and the U.S., Norway and Washington state,” Norwegian Ambassador Anikken Krutnes said at a ribbon-cutting ceremony. “It is a milestone, a joint effort to develop a cleaner maritime industry and to speed up the green transition, which is so needed.”
Corvus Energy plans to have around 40 employees in the United States in 2023, most of them located in the Fairhaven facility, according to Coruvs Energy Marketing Manager Sonja Vernøy Hansen.
U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen, D-2nd District, spoke at the ceremony about the importance of the maritime industry in Washington, and the steps taken to electrify the ferry system in the area, most recently with the Lummi Island ferry.
“You cannot have a big league maritime economy with Little League maritime infrastructure, and we are in the business of building big league infrastructure here in Washington state,” Larsen said.
Larsen told The Herald in an interview it is exciting to have a facility that can grow as the economy grows. As the industry of electric propulsion expands over time, so can this facility.
It may be a while before Whatcom sees electric vehicles, specifically ferries. While nothing has officially begun, Inslee said the sky is the limit when it comes to the future of electric transportation in Washington.
“We are ahead of the rest of the country, we have a head start here and there is no reason that this cannot continue,” Inslee said.
Inslee traveled to Norway in September 2022, where he visited Corvus to discuss a facility in Washington. He rode on the electric ferry there, and said he was impressed with the technology of the ship. He said the ride was smooth and there were no vibrations, smoke or noise. He said he could see this technology sailing through the Puget Sound, to the appreciation of the orcas and salmon.
“This is a perilous time in human history because of the threat of climate change,” Inslee said. “What we really need right now is a strong dose of hope. A strong recognition of a can-do spirit where we can build a clean energy economy.”
