The world’s first all-electric airline will soon be whisking passengers to destinations in the Pacific Northwest of the United States and Canada.

Harbour Air, North America’s largest seaplane airline, and magniX, a leading developer of electric propulsion systems for aircraft, announced a partnership to convert Harbour Air’s entire fleet of more than 40 seaplanes to electric power.

The new ePlanes will be powered by a 750-horsepower all-electric motor developed by magniX. They will use no fossil fuels and produce zero emissions.

(WATCH: Strong Winds Send Man Flying)

Harbour Air operates 12 flights between hubs like Seattle and Vancouver and throughout the remote Canadian wilderness. The airline flies more than 500,000 passengers on 30,000 commercial flights a year, and also has a robust cargo business.

The DHC-2 de Havilland Beaver, which carries six passengers, will be the first in Harbour Air’s fleet to be converted to electric power. Initial test flights are expected to take place later this year. The airline’s fleet also includes single- and twin-engine de Havilland Otters and a Cessna Grand Caravan EX.

Founder and CEO Greg McDougall said the airline has long been dedicated to sustainability. In 2007, Harbour Air became the first fully carbon-neutral airline in North America.

“Through our commitment to making a positive impact on people’s lives, the communities where we operate and the environment, we are once again pushing the boundaries of aviation by becoming the first commercial aircraft to be powered by electric propulsion,” McDougall said.

While much of the focus to reduce carbon footprint has been on cars, electric airplanes are widely viewed as key to reducing carbon emissions. Aviation – more specifically, commercial airliners – are one of the world’s largest contributors of carbon emissions, accounting for about two percent of global greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, according to the European Commission.

(MORE: Reducing Fossil Fuels Could Save Millions of Lives Each Year)

The EC says a round-trip flight from London to New York generates about the same level of emissions as the average person in the EU does by heating their home for a whole year. And that number is expected to increase by as much as 700 percent by 2050.

That’s why the EC and other global organizations are encouraging countries to pursue new aircraft technology. Norway announced a plan last year to convert all domestic flights less than 90 minutes in duration to electric power by 2040, the Guardian reported.

Research and development in the area of electric and hybrid aircraft is growing rapidly, from small startups to major corporations. NASA is testing the all-electric X-57 aircraft, and researchers there predict the technology could be used for everything from air taxis to subsonic flight.

For now, the focus is mostly on short-haul flights, as rapid advancements in electric propulsion and battery technology are making it more and more viable for airplanes to fly those routes.

“In 2018, 75 percent of worldwide airline flights were 1,000 miles or less in range … we see tremendous potential for electric aviation to transform this heavily trafficked ‘middle mile’ range,” said Roei Ganzarski, CEO of magniX.