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Kite Ship to Battle Fuel Costs, Climate Change
by
findingDulcinea Staff
New kite technology will allow ships to utilize wind power and cut down on fuel costs and carbon emissions. It debuts in the same month as Iceland’s hydrogen ship.
30-Second Summary
The German ship MV Beluga SkySails set off on its transatlantic maiden voyage on Jan. 22. It is the first commercial freighter to use new technology that will save fuel and reduce carbon emission dramatically.
The freighter captures wind power via a large computer-steered kite, or “skysail.” The skysail looks like a cross between a paraglider and a kite.
If wind conditions are good, the kite could reduce fuel consumption by one-fifth, said Niels Stolberg, chief executive of Beluga Shipping, the ship’s owner.
Boats using the new technology will be more efficient than traditional sailboats as the kites are placed at a greater height, enabling them to capture stronger winds.
SkySails inventor Stephan Wrage told Reuters that SkySails is proof that “it pays to protect the environment.”
Rocketing fuel prices and the costs of fighting climate change have forced governments and companies to search for alternative resources of energy. This month Iceland's Elding will become the first commercial vessel to be powered by hydrogen.
The freighter captures wind power via a large computer-steered kite, or “skysail.” The skysail looks like a cross between a paraglider and a kite.
If wind conditions are good, the kite could reduce fuel consumption by one-fifth, said Niels Stolberg, chief executive of Beluga Shipping, the ship’s owner.
Boats using the new technology will be more efficient than traditional sailboats as the kites are placed at a greater height, enabling them to capture stronger winds.
SkySails inventor Stephan Wrage told Reuters that SkySails is proof that “it pays to protect the environment.”
Rocketing fuel prices and the costs of fighting climate change have forced governments and companies to search for alternative resources of energy. This month Iceland's Elding will become the first commercial vessel to be powered by hydrogen.
Headline Links: Revolutionary technology
The National Geographic has a video story on the “kite ship,” a new ship that will save fuel by using wind power.
Source: The National Geographic
The MV Beluga SkySails will be pulled by a computer-guided kite that costs $725,000. The kite is attached to the top of a 49-foot mast. The freighter is owned by German firm Beluga Shipping while the kite was developed by SkySails, another German company. "At the heart of this all for me, the real motivating factor is to get to the crossroads of ecology and economics — and to prove it pays to protect the environment,” SkySails inventor Stephan Wrage told Reuters.
Source: Reuters
The high-tech kite will help reduce fuel costs and CO2 emissions. “The shipping industry emits 800 million tons of CO2 now and that will rise to over 1 billion tons in five years,” said Beluga CEO Niels Stolberg. “In a few years, shipping companies will have to cut emissions or pay a price.” CO2 output is blamed for climate change, Sail-World.com reported.
Source: Sail-World.com
Related Links: Iceland’s hydrogen ship
Iceland’s Elding will be the first commercial vessel to be powered by hydrogen. Starting April, Iceland will offer hydrogen-powered cars for hire and whale watching trips aboard hydrogen-equipped boats. These developments mark Iceland’s ambitions to end its dependence on fossil fuels and utilize greener energy resources, Reuters reported.
Source: Reuters
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