Solar/Wind-Powered Boat Touring the Globe
Normally, I find things like this boat powered by renewables of little value, as they tend to be impractical and expensive novelties. Perhaps one could say the same here, but somehow this got my attention.
Of particular interest is its use of peak energy to electrolyze seawater, storing the hydrogen for later use in the ship’s fuel-cells. Why not batteries? Too heavy; they’d rather lose the efficiency than put on the weight.
170 square meters of solar PV = 45 – 50 HP, plus whatever the wind contributes. That’s considerable.
Craig,
These sort of craft are experimental vessels, as such there construction and voyages are of immense value.
Like most working concepts, the actual vessel itself isn’t intended for commercialization, but the lessons learned and technology developed will be used in a wide variety of designs.
The original marine hydrogen technology was developed for a BP oil experimental vessel in the late 1980’s.