Green boats: dream or reality?
Environmental protection concerns or at least should concern everyone as we all live on the same planet, breath the same air and therefore should do our best to preserve the environment. Air and water pollution, global warming, greenhouse effect – all these sound but very familiar. And it’s high time people did something to at least minimize the aftereffects of environmental catastrophe if not solve the ecological problems completely. Those working in the marine industry are also reaching for the stars – and as a result we have some interesting ‘green boats’ and environment friendly technologies to show.
To use solar energy has always been a temptation and now that we have hi-tech solar panels why not use them in boat construction? Look at this pontoon boat: cruising on it costs nothing as you won’t need any fuel, it doesn’t pollute water and besides on a sunny day having such a boat at one’s command is a great incentive for a short cruise. This 20 feet pontoon boat, the Loon, was built by Monte Gisbourne and is topped by a custom 738 W solar panel. Of course it can’t be under way all around the clock and since ‘lunar panels’ haven’t yet been invented during the night or on a cloudy day the vessel is powered by eight rechargeable 6-volt batteries. So if you are looking for an eco-friendly vessel to do some recreational boating on a sunny day – Loon is your choice number one.
You could also use a boat with a deck covered with photogalvanic panels. Like on images below.
Or have a look at this solar-powered 42-passenger ferry, the Serpentine Solar Shuttle (above). It is powered solely by sun and speeds up to 5 mph. This boat designed by Christoph Behling is made of stainless steel and has 27 solar panels on its roof. It produces no pollutants and is expected to save nearly 5000 pounds of CO2 per year compared to a diesel-powered boat of a similar size. Even on those dark or overcast days there will be enough sun to keep the ferry on the go.
Unbelievable as it may seem, solar boats really work. Sun21, a Swiss catamaran, has become the first ever solar boat to cross the Atlantic. It docked at the French Caribbean island of Martinique 63 days after leaving the port of Chipiona, Spain, becoming the first vessel in history to complete so long a journey without using any fuel. Thus renewable solar energy proved to be quite suitable for long-distance cruises. Unlike sailboats this solar-powered catamaran can cruise even if there’s no wind. And the solar panels give a shade to make the trip most enjoyable. The dreams of solar-powered vessels have finally come true.
Biodiesel-powered boats is another way to solve environmental problems. The boat on the image above is powered by 100% biodiesel and thus makes no harm to the environment.
There’s also a way of using soy-oil along with a traditional diesel as a biodiesel fuel. The researchers say that soy-based oil compared to most biodiesel fuels is preferable in cold weather. Besides, the blend of soy oil and diesel has a higher amount of lubricity and thus is better for engines. Biodiesel is non-toxic and produces 60% less CO2 than any petroleum-based diesel.
Another internationally famous biodiesel-powered boat is a 78’ trimaran, Earthrace, built by Pete Bethune from New Zealand who will attempt to break the record for circumnavigating the globe in a powerboat during a trip which is to start on March, the 1st, 2007. This hi-tech sleek vessel is powered by two 540-hp Cummins Mercruisers filled with 100% biodiesel. Although the boat is extremely expensive ($1.25 million) it’s worth the money it cost.
Among the latest developments are the fuel-cell-powered boats. Fuel cell technologies produce no pollution, they are far more effective than other eco-friendly energy sources, don’t require much space and aren’t heavy which means that they can be installed almost on every vessel. The only emission of a fuel cell propulsion is pure water.
Currently there are various fuel-cell-boat developments underway. Fuel Cell Boat BV, a consortium of Dutch companies, including Alewijnse, Integral, Linde Gas, Marine Service North (MSN) and Lovers, is developing a hydrogen-powered boat, in order to meet the authorities' desire for zero-emissions vessels, using a subsidy from the Dutch government. The boat will have a fuel cell for a power source, and will be used by Anglo-Dutch oil giant Shell to transport over 100 employees to and from work daily. The new design is due for completion this year, and the consortium is currently looking for a yard to build the boat. The fuel cell will have a 65kW energy output, although the source is as yet undecided, and the boat will run on hydrogen. This will necessitate the construction of a hydrogen station to top the boat up once a day. The hydrogen will be produced by electrolysis using electricity from a wind farm in the North Sea, ensuring that the running of the new boat will be absolutely ‘green’. (More boating news at www.yachtcouncil.com).
But although fuel-cell-boats get power from water they are floating on, hydrogen-powered boats are still very expensive, as lamentably most eco-friendly power producing devices are.
Nowadays al these ultramodern hi-tech inventions that a decade ago we all saw in ‘Beyond 2000’ series are real. It seems that we need only a slight effort to make our vehicles, our houses and our boats environment friendly. And although this effort will literally cost too much, we shouldn’t forget that if we continue abusing nature we’ll pay a lot more. Mother-nature can endure much but the revenge is soon to come.
So, speak out: environmental protection or careless boating? Should we do more to promote zero-emissions vessels or it’s just not our problem? And do you think that tomorrow is with the ‘green boats’?
Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org, http://www.treehugger.com, http://www.solarboatteam.nl, http://www.iran-daily.com, http://www.bonaccord.com, http://www.fuelcelltoday.com, http://www.antonio.licciulli.unile.it
Solar-Powered Boats
You could also use a boat with a deck covered with photogalvanic panels. Like on images below.
Or have a look at this solar-powered 42-passenger ferry, the Serpentine Solar Shuttle (above). It is powered solely by sun and speeds up to 5 mph. This boat designed by Christoph Behling is made of stainless steel and has 27 solar panels on its roof. It produces no pollutants and is expected to save nearly 5000 pounds of CO2 per year compared to a diesel-powered boat of a similar size. Even on those dark or overcast days there will be enough sun to keep the ferry on the go.
Unbelievable as it may seem, solar boats really work. Sun21, a Swiss catamaran, has become the first ever solar boat to cross the Atlantic. It docked at the French Caribbean island of Martinique 63 days after leaving the port of Chipiona, Spain, becoming the first vessel in history to complete so long a journey without using any fuel. Thus renewable solar energy proved to be quite suitable for long-distance cruises. Unlike sailboats this solar-powered catamaran can cruise even if there’s no wind. And the solar panels give a shade to make the trip most enjoyable. The dreams of solar-powered vessels have finally come true.
Biodiesel
There’s also a way of using soy-oil along with a traditional diesel as a biodiesel fuel. The researchers say that soy-based oil compared to most biodiesel fuels is preferable in cold weather. Besides, the blend of soy oil and diesel has a higher amount of lubricity and thus is better for engines. Biodiesel is non-toxic and produces 60% less CO2 than any petroleum-based diesel.
Wind turbine
As wind generators are widely used in boatbuilding as part of electrical equipment but it also can be used to set a boat on the go.Fuel cell
Currently there are various fuel-cell-boat developments underway. Fuel Cell Boat BV, a consortium of Dutch companies, including Alewijnse, Integral, Linde Gas, Marine Service North (MSN) and Lovers, is developing a hydrogen-powered boat, in order to meet the authorities' desire for zero-emissions vessels, using a subsidy from the Dutch government. The boat will have a fuel cell for a power source, and will be used by Anglo-Dutch oil giant Shell to transport over 100 employees to and from work daily. The new design is due for completion this year, and the consortium is currently looking for a yard to build the boat. The fuel cell will have a 65kW energy output, although the source is as yet undecided, and the boat will run on hydrogen. This will necessitate the construction of a hydrogen station to top the boat up once a day. The hydrogen will be produced by electrolysis using electricity from a wind farm in the North Sea, ensuring that the running of the new boat will be absolutely ‘green’. (More boating news at www.yachtcouncil.com).
But although fuel-cell-boats get power from water they are floating on, hydrogen-powered boats are still very expensive, as lamentably most eco-friendly power producing devices are.
Nowadays al these ultramodern hi-tech inventions that a decade ago we all saw in ‘Beyond 2000’ series are real. It seems that we need only a slight effort to make our vehicles, our houses and our boats environment friendly. And although this effort will literally cost too much, we shouldn’t forget that if we continue abusing nature we’ll pay a lot more. Mother-nature can endure much but the revenge is soon to come.
So, speak out: environmental protection or careless boating? Should we do more to promote zero-emissions vessels or it’s just not our problem? And do you think that tomorrow is with the ‘green boats’?
Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org, http://www.treehugger.com, http://www.solarboatteam.nl, http://www.iran-daily.com, http://www.bonaccord.com, http://www.fuelcelltoday.com, http://www.antonio.licciulli.unile.it
