'Green' Sailboat Dream Wins Award for Inventor

by Nancy Knudsen on 18 Nov 2008 He was a cruising sailor, he was an astro- and geo-physics and oceanographic design engineer, he was a natural inventor, he had energy, and, most of all, he wished for better things for our planet. As a result of this happy confluence, now Jim Harrington has won a prestigious award for his work in inventing a hydrogen assisted sailing boat.

'It was early February 07 and I was running up the diesel engine in my ketch Morning Star. With diesels, there is smoke, smell, and the noise, all of which cannot be good for me - or the environment. So I thought, is there not a better way? In early 1970 I had seen a fuel cell onboard an Apollo spacecraft and that came to mind, followed by the question, is it time for this technology to be used?'

Sail-World Cruising has been following the development of his concept for several years, but now Loyalist College Graduate James Harrington has won the Prestigious Premier’s Award, as announced by the Colleg this week:

Since graduating from Loyalist College in Electronics Engineering Technician in 1969, Jim Harrington has followed his passion for research and exploration as an electronics and mechanical product designer. Since 1970 he has been developing research and exploration equipment in astrophysics, geophysics and oceanographic applications. He developed the first fuel cell assisted sailboat in Canada, 'The Sloop Jim D'. Jim was nominated by Loyalist for the 2008 Premier’s Awards program in the Technology category, and has been selected the provincial winner from the community college system. He will receive the award in February 2009.

After graduating from Loyalist, Jim spent the next 10 years in Mississauga working in the geophysics industry before moving to Canada’s Centre for Space Physics at the Herzberg Institute. During that time he assisted in the design and construction of the high flux telescope for the Ulysses spacecraft that was launched from the space shuttle in 1990 on a trip to Jupiter and around the sun. The mission ended in March of this year, and was a successful voyage of discovery. He also recommended and then assisted in the construction of the first three-component magnetometers for the Black Brant sounding rockets used to study the Aurora Borealis.

Now living in Victoria, B.C., Jim operates a company called AGO Environmental Electronics. He spends much of his leisure time as an inventor and recreational sailor. After his 'aha' moment on Morning Star, he teamed up with a friend who works at the University of Victoria fuel cell laboratory and the two developed a two horsepower outboard. The fuel cell, a high powered solar panel powered by hydrogen, charges the battery power box that in turn runs the motor.

Today he is recognized worldwide for the design and fabrication of Canada’s first successful fuel cell assisted sailboat, 'The Sloop Jim D'. This year he developed a conversion kit to easily change gas outboards to electric 230 VAC 3 phase using standard off-the-shelf components. This system was installed on an 18-foot cabin cruiser that has operated in Victoria Harbour through the summer of 2008, powered by batteries charged by the solar panels. This month he will receive the 'Best Innovation Award' from the Esquimalt Chamber of Commerce at its Annual General Meeting.

'Jim Harrington’s career achievements are outstanding,' said Loyalist President Maureen Piercy. 'It is gratifying that he credits the advanced Math, physics and electronics that he learned at Loyalist as important building blocks to help him begin to see possibilities. Certainly those possibilities are endless, and Jim has proven that with his inventions and ongoing research and development. He is a worthy recipient of the Premier’s Award, and the College is extremely proud of his accomplishments.'

For his part, Jim says that he is honoured with the announcement of this award. 'I really am surprised and honoured,' he said. 'It is not something that you ever expect, but I appreciate this recognition very much.'

The Premier’s Awards are presented by the Premier of Ontario or the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities at a special event held in conjunction with the Annual Meeting of Colleges Ontario in February, 2009.

The going has not always been easy for Harrington, but he realised the potential was extraordinary. 'Not that different from the development of the automobile,'says Harrington, and, referring to the lack of hydrogen pumps on every corner, 'and let us also note that there were no gas stations on every corner then, but look at it now.'

Harrington began by looking for Government Research and Development money to develop his idea, and with his background, you would think that would be easy.

However, as he remembers, 'I was told the use of fuel cells was too risky and that there was no potential to commercialize such a product. Then, 6 months later, when we succeeded at getting a system that works, we were told that we still did not qualify for funding. The same government research and development agencies that initially refused funding now could not fund further development of the system because the project was now considered to be simple engineering.' As an afterthought, he adds, 'Almost like somebody does not want hydrogen projects to work out.'

This left no option but for Harrington, determined to continue with an idea he thought had potential, to fund the project himself, with loans of the actual fuel cells from two manufacturers – Horizon/Igreen Technologies and Palcan Ltd.

Since then, Harrington and Soutar have worked on many fronts at once, testing, evaluating, making small advances all the time.

However, this project, as positive and forward looking as it is, is a money drain, not a money producer, and Harrington, who heads a company called A.G.O. Environmental Electronics Ltd, (www.agoenvironmental.com) must spend time on money making projects.

Hence it is difficult, because of the lack of funding, to keep the project moving forward. 'Since this is not my day job, but my hobby, all I can say is 'so much to do, so little time......'

To learn more about the technicalities of the project, go to the web page

To discuss the project, or sponsor its ongoing development, email Jim Harrington on info@agoenvironmental.com