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Giant cargo ships are going green with solar sails
Some of the stuff we buy from China is so cheap, that I wonder how they manage to cover even the shipping costs for the selling price. Now China's biggest shipping company COSCO is giving us a clue. They just signed a deal with Solar Sailor of Australia, to fit some of their cargo ships with gigantic rigid sails, each the size of a 747 jet's wing. We've looked before at small scale versions of the same idea, but never anything this huge
Under ocean going conditions, the sails provide enough thrust to reduce fuel consumption by 20-40 percent, while the solar panels covering them deliver power to the crew quarters and navigation electronics. The ship's ballast is provided by rechargeable batteries, which can drive the boat electrically if needed, and if you have a really stiff wind, the screws can be reversed to further charge the batteries. The giant sails can also be folded flat onto the deck if there's a threatening storm.
Solar Sailor, via Treehugger.com
By Traveler at 1:18 PM ON 11/08/08
That's a LOT of batteries! Be interesting to see if it pays off after 30 years of maintenance and other costs.
By matt at 1:25 PM ON 11/08/08
ummm, but where do you put the cargo?
By ReeyferMadness at 6:00 PM ON 11/08/08
I'd imagine that it's not enough to hurt the cargo. You'd also save a lot of tank space for fuel, which would help w/ battery space. I'm not usually one to parrot every silly green innovation that won't do anything in the end, but I think this one's got promise. Wind energy is actually viable on the ocean, where you've got no real paved roads to guide you. And the solar is a nice benefit as well - with the new innovations in more efficient solar cells, mebbe the solar portion could do more than just power auxiliary systems and pick up some of the propulsion load.
What I've got to wonder is this; why so small? Why not stretch panels just as big or bigger out to each side? Put out great big wings, enough to actually pick up most of the propulsion load. With the lightweight materials we have at our disposal today, there should be no reason it would be impossible. Heck, even with a pretty simple steel mast and suspension wires you could do it and still control the angle and orientation. Set the ship up with a great pair of wings with that lidar system that was up the other day, adjusting constantly to catch the wind.
By Matt at 11:52 PM ON 11/09/08
thank you for your comment reeyfermadness; good ideas and none of the condescension or rudeness that is so common on web forums and comment pages.
I actually agree with you that it is a good idea. I was just being a bit of a jerk earlier. It is a bit bananas that we ever got rid of the sail. Supplement with an engine for when there is no wind but I mean it's free energy! I guess looking back it is always easier to see what would work now.
By dancesonsnow at 5:10 AM ON 11/10/08
From what I've read, there have been several companies that have been trying to market sails for cargo ships, but until the cost of oil sky rocked a few years ago the break even point on the installation wasn't all that economical for the shipping companies. As to why the sails aren't bigger, I think it has to do with having enough room to fold them up whenever the ship gets hit by a storm or has to go under a bridge or maneuver in a port.
By CoolProducts at 4:53 PM ON 11/12/08
I definitely think it'd be interesting to see those giant sails on those huge tankers!
By solar panel diy at 11:33 AM ON 01/18/09
Recently, Nippon have used solar energy to actually power a ship to carry Toyota cars. I believe they are the first company to do so.
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Recently, Nippon have used solar energy to actually power a ship to carry Toyota cars. I believe they are the first...More »