Design starts on wind-solar ship
Thứ hai, 26/09/2011 - 22:36
Eco Marine Power’s Aquarius system combines rigid sails with solar cells for auxiliary propulsion Japanese company Eco Marine Power has started detailed design of its wind and solar sail panel.
Eco Marine Power’s Aquarius system combines rigid sails with solar cells for auxiliary propulsion Japanese company Eco Marine Power has started detailed design of its wind and solar sail panel. The company and its partners intend these to be used in arrays for auxiliary propulsion of large ships.
Thanks to new technological developments, Eco Marine Power says it is now possible to combine rigid sails with photovoltaic cells, enabling their use in harnessing wind and solar energy which will then be used to help power a ship thereby reducing fuel consumption and the emission of harmful gases. The rigid sails are being developed by Eco Marine Power in co-operation with a number of development partners. The array of rigid sails will allow ships to tap into renewable energy at sea, at anchor or even when a ship is in harbour. Each sail panel will be positioned by a computer control system being developed by KEI System of Osaka, and the sails can be lowered and stored when not it use. When wind conditions are not favourable they can be positioned to offer little wind resistance and still collect solar energy.
According to the company, using solar modules mounted on a rigid but movable sail panel offers many advantages over simply mounting solar panels on the deck of ship and Eco Marine Power believes its system, known as Aquarius, could offer an attractive return on investment for shipping companies. The scalability of the Aquarius system means that the same basic design can be used on a variety of ship types and sizes.
Eco Marine Power, based in Fukuoka, says it develops innovative eco-friendly solar, wind, electric and hybrid marine power and propulsion solutions. The company designs eco-friendly ship concepts that incorporate green energy technology and is currently working design projects including including the solar-electric hybrid marine power (HMP) vessel Tonbo and eco-solar ferry Medaka.
Thanks to new technological developments, Eco Marine Power says it is now possible to combine rigid sails with photovoltaic cells, enabling their use in harnessing wind and solar energy which will then be used to help power a ship thereby reducing fuel consumption and the emission of harmful gases. The rigid sails are being developed by Eco Marine Power in co-operation with a number of development partners. The array of rigid sails will allow ships to tap into renewable energy at sea, at anchor or even when a ship is in harbour. Each sail panel will be positioned by a computer control system being developed by KEI System of Osaka, and the sails can be lowered and stored when not it use. When wind conditions are not favourable they can be positioned to offer little wind resistance and still collect solar energy.
According to the company, using solar modules mounted on a rigid but movable sail panel offers many advantages over simply mounting solar panels on the deck of ship and Eco Marine Power believes its system, known as Aquarius, could offer an attractive return on investment for shipping companies. The scalability of the Aquarius system means that the same basic design can be used on a variety of ship types and sizes.
Eco Marine Power, based in Fukuoka, says it develops innovative eco-friendly solar, wind, electric and hybrid marine power and propulsion solutions. The company designs eco-friendly ship concepts that incorporate green energy technology and is currently working design projects including including the solar-electric hybrid marine power (HMP) vessel Tonbo and eco-solar ferry Medaka.
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