Solar Sailor close to HK contract

The A$8 million ($4.2 million) order for the 25m, 12-15 knots, 150 passenger vessels, will be ATW’s first commercial sale and is expected to be followed by a similar contract for a Malaysian operator. Building vessels for the Hong Kong contract will take place in China under a general licensing agreement with ATW.

An ATW team will travel to China to install the hybrid power system of solar, wind, battery power and LPG generated electricity. ATW will install the power system, components panel and assist with the vessels commissioning and training of operators, after construction of the vessel is completed.

The Hong Kong vessels will be similar to the 21m 100-passenger 12 knot low wash Solar Sailor ‘the world’s first solar powered ferry’ that has been operating on Sydney Harbour for Captain Cook Cruises since June 2000.

Solar Sailor’s Dr Robert Dane says the beauty of the Australian Design Award winning vessel is the computer-controlled hybrid power system which delivers reliable scheduling by offering back-up power sources when there is inadequate wind and sun. The computer monitors the sun and wind and adjusts the angle of the solar paneled sail wings for optimum sunlight absorption.

Pivotally mounted solar paneled wings also collect energy in batteries, which in the absence of sun and wind can be used to power the electric motor for up to five hours. The solar panels are angled in two planes thereby increasing the amount of energy collected from the sun by 40%.

“Our vessel on Sydney Harbour has proven to be very reliable,” says Dane. “We plug into the grid every night and we’ve only turned the fuel-powered generator on 20% of the time during the winter. “Greenhouse emissions from this vessel are minimal.” Dr Dane says his company has designed its own low weight 120kg 50hp electric motor with the University of Sydney. This motor had the advantage of simplicity with the only moving part being the rotor which is connected to the shaft.

The imminent signing of the Hong Kong contract will see an immediate increase in ATW’s staff from three people to ten to handle the installation of the hybrid power system. Dane predicts enormous long-term global potential for the environmentally friendly vessel. He envisages shorter term demand will be sourced from eco-tourism operators in Denmark, Spain, Italy and Greece and California. He hopes to progress talks with San Francisco’s Water Transit Authority about using the solar sailor vessel.

Bluewater Network, a local environmental lobbying organisation, has already sponsored a visit to San Francisco by ATW. “Bluewater is working hard to secure political support and public funding to build one in the United States,” it said in a statement.

There are longer term prospects to apply the technology to commercial cargo ships. Dane says mariners’ concerns about bringing down the solar sails in a head wind have now been addressed. “It’s been proven that the motive force of the wind can be used to save up to 20% on fuel bills and solar energy can be used to reduce the number of ship board generators. “Our vessel hosted a lot of people during the Olympics and I understand some of the passengers were from a big shipping company in China,” says Dr Dane.