Eco Marine completes EnergySail
Japanese marine solutions company, Eco Marine Power (EMP) Co Ltd, recently announced that it has completed the design of its EnergySail product – a year after the design project began.
The design project for the rigid sail commenced in August 2011, intended for use with EMP’s Aquarius MRE System. The sail will allow vessels to utilise the power of the wind and sun – reducing fuel costs and lowering toxic gas and carbon emissions. The company has designed the sail so that it can be fitted to a variety of ships, including large bulk carriers and patrol ships. Its design also allows the number and type of devices used to produce renewable energy to be easily changed.
Greg Atkinson, director of research and design, EMP, said: “We spent a lot of time during the design phase focused on incorporating safety features into the EnergySail and also making it flexible in terms of being easy to re-configure or upgrade the device. Wind and solar power technologies will improve during a ship’s operational lifespan so in our view, it was critical that the EnergySail be easily upgradable.”
EMP is currently in the process of developing an alternative sail suitable for Unmanned Surface Vessels (USV’s) and smaller ships such as fishing vessels and passenger ferries.
Related Articles
MARINE CONSTRUCTION
POWER & PROPULSION
ENVIRONMENT