1 post tagged “wind”
WBCSD: German ship fights climate change with high-tech kite
"two fast-growing German companies have worked together developing a high-tech kite system to pull enormous ships across the oceans -- and save enormous amounts of money.
The 132 metre (433 ft) long MV "Beluga SkySails" will make its maiden voyage in January across the Atlantic to Venezuela, up to Boston and back to Europe. It will be pulled by a giant computer-guided 500,000-euro ($725,000) kite tethered to a 15-metre high mast. ...
To latch onto the powerful winds prevailing well above the surface, the kite attached to the high-tech steerage unit flies up to 300 metres high to tug the 10,000-tonne ship forward, supporting its diesel engines and cutting fuel consumption.
Under favourable wind conditions, the 160-square metre kite shaped like a paraglider is expected to reduce fuel costs by up to 20 percent or more ($1,600 per day) and cut, by a similarly significant amount, its carbon dioxide emissions."
SkySails is planning a 320 square metre version for 2009, with a 600 square metre kite after that. These larger kites could reduce fuel consumption from 30 to 50 percent. The separation of the kite from the ship and the aerodynamics of the kite allow the ship to obtain benefit from the wind even if the ship is heading at 50 degrees into the wind. The deployment, operation and retrieval is fully automated, and all equipment can be stowed in a remarkably small space when in port or passing through constrained waterways. The technology is intended both for new ships as well as retrofits on existing ships. The target is 1,500 ships by 2015.
The SkySails site includes a number of still images and a video clip. Although the focus is on cargo and commercial vessels as well as yachts, this technology might also be
of interest to cruise ships, given the rising price of fuel and the
'greening' of the industry. The parasail-type kite would definitely make a statement.
Note: this is a public post.
