Solar Sailor: Escaping to Alcatraz (and Aquatankers)
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 05.12.06
We’ve mentioned the Solar Sailor before. And while their vision was breathtaking then, it seems that was just namby-pamby stuff. In the past week or so, two new proposals have emerged that the term audacious hardly seems to encompass. One is to build two 600 passenger hybrid-electric ferries to carry tourists to the island national park of Alcatraz from San Francisco. The ferries utilise massive solar wings to generate electricity, which cut fuel needs in half, with zero emissions while docking at the wharf. "As needed, the vessels will operate with diesel generators burning low-sulfur diesel fuel and equipped with air pollution controls that cut emissions by 70% to 90% (compared to conventional marine diesels)." The first such craft is due in two years. Their other plan is to develop massive ‘aquatankers’ to ship water from the monsoonal Kimberley region of Western Australia down to the State capital of Perth, who a is currently considering a desalination plant to extract the city from a drought plagued water shortage. Tankers much like those used to ship oil around the globe would be deployed to bring half a million tonnes of water, per load, down to Perth. Using solar wings, such as those on the ferries, it is expected that fuel costs could be reduced by 40 to 60%. These guys sure think big, just like the team with the Aerocraft blimp. :: Solar Sailor via Greenbiz and The Mercury.
I love it. We have to think big and fast. We need to encourage more of this. Get little kids interested in science. Get everyone fired up on a positive note and there's no telling what we're capable of doing.
Hybrid ocean-going ships with sails? That idea's only 150 years old! When steamers were new, they were still required to carry masts, just in case the engines failed. Thus, all early steamers were Hybrids!
Of course, the shipping companies quickly found out it was much cheaper to forget the sails and just use the engines, since you need a large crew to run a ship under sail, but only a few men to shovel coal into the boilers.
Here's a neat optimistic thought: In nations where labor is much cheaper, you may see old-school sails popping up on freighters.
But the reality is we'll just see more coal-fired steamers again, since coal is still cheap and plentiful if you have cheap labor.
How about giant automated ships that roam the ocean with solar and wind panels. They would use this power to power themselves and generate hydrogen. When their tanks are full they would head back to port and sell their product.
Of course, I'd like to see Perth just go ahead and build desalination plants, but use some of the ideas on this site: http://rexresearch.com/airwells/airwells.htm
I especially like the solar chimney Henri Coanda invented. Australia is already building a solar chimney for electricity generation, so why not use them for potable water generation?
Donny,
Clever idea. With some tweaking, it could be a serious option. Mind, the 'sola-barges' wouldn't have to waste energy traveling. Just get a hundred miles out, and then sit there till it's full.
Ha! The most ironic thing about this idea is the "energy efficient" barges will be transporting oil, cheap slave labour products and non-organic food across the ocean, oh wait, nevermind, you probably thought about that already.
How about giant automated ships that roam the ocean with solar and wind panels. Its a very good idea!
With some tweaking, it could be a serious option. Mind, the 'sola-barges' wouldn't have to waste energy traveling.
Unfortunately, there will be no solar sailor making the trip to
Alcatraz. It was a promise Alcatraz Cruises made in order to
win the federal contract to bring tourists to the island. They have
purchased two of the boats from the previous contract holder and have no plans to have a solar sailor built. Shame on them and their "green" lies.