[pedalling_faster]

pictures & video of some 100 person and 400 person ferries.

deployed in San Francisco & Australia.

they use the solar for low speed & kick in the diesels above about 6 nauts.

also the solar panel positions are adjusted to take advantage of wind. so says the news article.

anyway, another tool in the Peak Oil toolbox.

wonder how many barrels of oil & kilowatt-hours go into building each one ?



link to *.wmv file, TV clip

http://www.bluewaternetwork.org/news_st ... lip606.wmv

[azreal60]

That really doesn't look that much like sci fi pstar. No, what it does look like is FREEEEAKING expensive. Yes you probably could get such a boat. Entry price, million or 2 minimum. More like 10 probably.

But the tech really isn't all that hard to build. I don't see any huge tech advances there, very similar in concept to a hybred car actually. Although the idea to use the solar panels like sails does show quite a bit of smarts, I have to say.

[eastbay]

Just from looking at the size of the solar panels I'd be surprised if they generate enough power to move that ferry at all. In fact, I bet they won't fully generate enough electricity to run the appliances, lights, heater (or air conditioning), controls and all the other electronic gizmo's festooning this nice looking toy.

[pedalling_faster]

i would use the term "working prototype"

i think the solar cells are charging batteries, and the engines are working off batteries. sort of like the Prius.