Can solar power help shipping go green?

Can solar power help shipping go green? 

From a distance, the yellow-and-blue ferry docking at the pier resembles the scores of other vessels that hop between Hong Kong’s outlying islands and the peninsula every day.

But a closer look as passengers disembark, reveals a grid of gleaming solar panels on the ferry’s roof and, instead of the usual throbbing engine noise, there is a barely audible buzz.

The Solar Eagle and three similar vessels shuttle golfers to tee off on an 18-hole island course. Together they form the world’s first hybrid powered ferry fleet and a commercial proving ground for technology that could transform the future of marine travel.
The technology, similar to that used in hybrid cars, has been developed by an Australian company called Solar Sailor.
Electricity created by the solar panels and stored in a battery powers the engine while the vessel comes in and out of the harbour. Once out in the open ocean and a faster clip is required, the diesel kicks in.

One of the fleet, the Solar Albatross, sports two sails covered in solar panels that can be raised to harness both the sun and the wind to further reduce reliance on fossil fuel.

Robert Dane, Solar Sailor’s founder, says that the technology offers ship owners huge fuel savings and has the potential to be used on all types of vessels from humble ferries and luxury super-yachts to bulk carriers shipping iron ore and navy patrol ships.
“I think in 50 to 100 years, all ships will have solar sails,” he says.
“It just makes so much sense. You’re out there on the water and there’s so much light bouncing around and there’s a lot more energy in the wind than in the sun.”
Teething problems
Three of the ferries began operation in 2010 and the Solar Albatross began carrying passengers last year. The solar-sail technology is also in use in two ferries in Shanghai and Sydney.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club, which runs the golf course on Kau Sai Chau island, says its has seen “significant fuel savings” but was still monitoring the overall performance of the ferries.
Mr Dane says that on the golf course-run, the hybrid technology saves 8% or 17% on the fuel bill, depending on the route taken. However, repair and maintenance costs have been more than anticipated.
“The Jockey Club is a new operator so there’s a learning curve for them and the new technology,” he says.
Despite the teething problems, Mr Dane is confident of future sales.
He says he is in the “early stages” of discussions with the operators of Hong Kong’s iconic star ferry, which has been shuttling across Victoria Harbour since 1880, about fitting solar panels on one of their vessels.
And in Australia, he hopes to clinch deals this year with the operator of a river ferry and install the technology on two ocean research vessels.
There are other solar-powered ships in operation such as the catamaran Turanor PlanetSolar, which is circumnavigating the globe exclusively by harnessing the power of the sun. However, Mr Dane says the technology developed by his company is the most commercially tested.
More ambitiously, Mr Dane says the company will soon announce a trial with an Australian mining company to attach a 40m (130ft) tall solar sail to a newly built bulk carrier that will ship iron ore and other raw materials to China.
He likens the sail to a “giant windmill blade” that would be covered in solar panels and fold down into the vessel when it is docking and transferring cargo.
By harnessing the wind, the company estimates that the giant sail could shave 20% to 40%, or around A$3m (£2m; $3.1m), off a ship’s annual fuel bill when travelling at 16 knots (18mph), with the solar panels contributing an extra 3% to 6% saving.
“The systems we are installing are worth around A$6 million and therefore the return of investment would be a couple of years at the current oil price,” he says.
“It’s not a matter of, if we’re going to do it, it’s a matter of how – right now we are working out the details.”
Green oceans
If, as Mr Dane hopes, the technology is adopted more widely, it also has the potential to clean up the shipping industry, which environmental campaigners claim emits more greenhouse gases than commercial aviation.
Roughly 50,000 ships carry 90 per cent of the world’s trade cargo, and these ships tend to burn a heavily polluting oil known as bunker fuel.
“It’s like tar, you have to heat it up to make it liquid so it will flow,” says Mr Dane.
“These incredibly powerful engines run on incredibly cheap but dirty fuel so what we can do in the short-term is to ensure they use less fuel.”
The industry has proved hard for governments to regulate as it does not fall into one jurisdiction, however the United Nations International Maritime Organization has recently introduced new regulations on fuel efficiency and sulphur emissions that could drive demand for Solar Sailor’s technology.
Mr Dane is optimistic about the company’s future even though after more than a decade of doing business it has yet to turn a profit.
He says the company will in future focus on areas less affected the global economic downturn such as defence, with plans afoot to use the technology in unmanned ocean vehicles that could replace navy patrol boats.
“We know (our technology) works. We know the return on investment but there’s been factors outside our control like the economic environment that have inhibited what we are doing,” Mr Dane says.
“We think we’re at a very exciting point with regards to profitability and one of the projects (we’re working on) will make us incredibly profitable in 2012.”

Can solar power help shipping go green?

Young generation favors hybrid cars

A recent study released by Deloitte and a professor from MSU’s Eli Broad College of Business shows Generation Y prefers hybrid and electric cars to traditional gasoline-only vehicles.

The survey was given to 1,500 Generation Y, Generation X and Baby Boomer consumers in the U.S., 250 Gen Y consumers in China and 300 Gen Y consumers in Western Europe.

Of the Generation Y respondents — consumers between the ages of 19 and 31 years old — 59 percent prefer an electric vehicle over any other type of car or truck.

The hybrid was heavily favored over battery electric vehicles, and 57 percent of those who preferred electric vehicles would rather have a hybrid car, while 2 percent said they would prefer a battery electric vehicle.

The remaining 37 percent who responded to the survey said they preferred a traditional gasoline-only vehicle.

Comparative cultures and politics senior Brittany Griffin — who is a part of Generation Y — said although she does not know much about hybrid or electric cars, she would consider purchasing one because they might reduce the nation’s dependency on foreign fuel sources, and she would rather purchase an electric car than a hybrid car.

“Electric cars, if they’re used widespread, would put a lot of strain on the power grid, which isn’t necessarily equipped to handle it,” Griffin said.

“But other than that, they would be largely beneficial more than they would be costly.”

Technology manager for the College of Natural Science Matt Stehouwer owns a 2011 Chevy Volt. He said he thinks a lot of people are wary about purchasing hybrid or electric cars, often worrying the battery will run out or it will not drive the same as a regular car, but that is not the case.

“It’s just as much fun as driving a regular car,” Stehouwer said. “I’ve actually gone over 10,000 miles on electricity.” 

Young generation favors hybrid cars

Fantastic $36,000 Lexus Hybrid Outdrives Prius: Monish.p.m

It may be a Lexus, but you can’t call it luxurious.

Lexus’s five-door, hybrid hatchback, the CT 200h suffers from an identity crisis. No wonder, given its two distinct personalities.

When many people think of a hybrid they picture the Prius. The car nearly constitutes its own brand -- you hardly have to mention that it comes from the Toyota Motor Company. The Prius stands for an age of pragmatism where technology rules over passion.

Nobody would call the Prius a joyful ride; rather its appeal comes from beating the average fuel mileage of 51 city, 48 highway. Consider it an extremely well-executed appliance. (New Prius models are coming, including a bigger wagon version, the V, and an all-electric plug-in.)

Toyota also owns Lexus, whose customers tend to relish their luxury. Vehicles like the $113,000 LS Hybrid sedan focus on indulgence -- the thrill of driving is secondary to the feel of leather. It even has an automated system that helps parallel park the car.

Which makes the 200h all the more confounding. It falls well short of prestige, yet drives way better than a Prius. The 200h’s base price is $29,995, making it the least expensive Lexus. As tested, my Premium model, with options, was $36,725.

Yet I’ve seen Lego sets with less plastic inside, and I was underwhelmed by the busy exterior. While the designers eschewed the weird hump-back of the Prius, they substituted a number of bulges, creases and sloping angles, especially in the rear. Part boy racer, part European hatch. Not so pretty.

Street Wars

Gas mileage falls short of the Prius, but is still fairly fantastic at 43 city, 40 highway. Using the same technology as the Prius, the CT is a full hybrid and can drive up to a mile on battery power alone, without the gas engine switching on.

The 1.8-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine and electric drive motor have a combined 134 horsepower. Drivers can choose just how fully or thriftily to dole out that power, selecting drive modes of EV, eco, normal and sport. Since all the systems are handled electronically, throttle response is dictated by that selection.

The all-battery setting, or EV mode, mostly thwarted me. Even in city driving, I over-accelerated beyond its 28-mph threshold, which kicks the gasoline engine back on. Eco mode slows everything down, allowing only tepid response from the gas pedal.

I imagine this would work quite well around a sleepy island like Martha’s Vineyard off-season, but on the isle of Manhattan it means you’ll be overtaken and boxed out. It’s war out there.

Power Punch

Normal mode suffices. In sport mode, however, the electric motor lends an extra power punch off the line. Which is when the 200h suddenly becomes a bit more interesting -- and perplexing.

Sure, it takes almost 10 seconds to attain 60 mph, so this little hatch isn’t fast, but it pops off the line easily. It’s got a small footprint in every sense, making it easy to flit through traffic and swing into tight parking spaces.

The Mini Cooper rules supreme to many urban dwellers, but the fact that I averaged more than 40 mph, even in the densest traffic, gave the 200h an edge. Around town, it’s almost deceitfully sporty.

(If you want to be less sneaky, you can opt for the F Sport package, which doesn’t improve speed per se, but gets revised suspension tuning, dark alloy wheels and a bigger rear spoiler.)

Plastic Dash

Steering is good, with an appropriate sense of heft at highway speeds and lightness while pulling out of parking spots. The brakes are regenerative, meaning they recapture kinetic energy, but Lexus has made them feel confident and, well, normal.

The $1,100 premium audio package, with 10 speakers, made a pleasure of dawdling in traffic, and the leather seats are the most comfortable I’ve experienced since my all-time-favorite, the buckets in the BMW 7 Series.

Which is where things start unraveling. The interior is otherwise just not up to Lexus quality standards. Most of the dashboard and door siding are the hard plastic you’d find on any economy box -- making the lovely leather-wrapped steering wheel seem out of place.

The center console is overly busy, with a raft of buttons, dials and the small drive selector. The mouse-like controller that operates the navigation system looks like it was glued onto the console.

The navigation screen itself is small with fuzzy graphics. Systems on the latest Kia and Hyundai models are nicer -- and many of those cars are less expensive. Bringing us to the gas mileage. Hyundai has four models that are getting 40 mpg, only one of which is a hybrid.

The CT’s rear seats are tiny and the luggage space scant. I wouldn’t dare invite three friends on a long drive for fear of whining.

On Manhattan streets, though, I’d ditch the Mini Cooper for this ultimate urban runabout.

The 2011 Lexus CT 200h At a Glance

Engine: 1.8-liter four-cylinder and electric drive motor

with combined 134 horsepower.

Transmission: Continuously variable.

Speed: 0 to 60 mph in 9.8 seconds.

Gas mileage per gallon: 43 city; 40 highway.

Price as tested: $36,725.

Best feature: Surprise! It’s sporty.

Worst feature: Short on Lexus luxury; big on plastic.

Target buyer: The urbanite who needs a runabout.

Peugeot to bring hybrid car to China

Peugeot to bring hybrid car to China

Keep your eyes on this year’s Shanghai Motor Show, where Peugeot will offer the world premiere of a petrol hybrid concept crossover.

The vehicle was developed by the China Tech Centre in Shanghai and will sit alongside the launch of a new Peugeot 508 for the Chinese market. Peugeot is aiming to introduce at least one new model per year in China over the coming years as it looks to rubber-stamp its presence in the country.

According to Peugeot, the launch of the 508 in the Chinese market is important for a number of reasons.
Firstly, one in every two 508 saloon cars will be manufactured and sold in China for a provisional sales volume of 65,000 units in the country over a full year; and secondly, it contributes to Peugeot’s global strategy of enhancing both its model range and quality after launching the Peugeot 3008 in the country and delivering the Peugeot RCZ on May 20.

Now Peugeot has set an ambitious goal of selling 200,000 cars in China this year.

Some Facts About Hybrid Cars In The Early Twenty-First Century

You would almost certainly be surprised to hear that hybrid cars have been with us since the very earliest days of automotive history, but you will not be astonished to be told that the technology has come on in leaps and bounds for the last ten years. In fact, the technology in hybrid cars has reached the level where fuel consumption in a hybrid can be half that of in a conventional internal combustion engine only car.

Half or even less than half under some circumstances like driving in town, especially in heavy traffic. In fact, while a hybrid is either cruising on electric or stopping and starting in thick traffic, there will be no consumption of petrol or diesel whatsoever, which means that you are driving ‘without cost’.
I put without cost in parentheses because a hybrid vehicle is still considerably dearer than a car with a traditional engine. However, even given the added price of a hybrid vehicle, you can save that excess cost over the average life time of the vehicle because of the saving on fuel. Obviously, the higher the cost of fuel, the sooner you will recover your extra initial outlay on the cost of the hybrid.

Perhaps you are thinking that hybrid vehicle manufacturers are profiteering on the backs of car drivers who would like to do their bit for the environment. Well, you would not be alone in thinking that, yet the cost of developing hybrid technology was and still is costly and someone has to account it.
That is you and me, the end-users. Well, that is standard, but in some countries, the government has stepped in to subsidize individuals who purchase a hybrid vehicle, because governments all over the world are under an oath to reduce their country’s carbon footprint.
That means that now is as good a time as any to buy a hybrid vehicle.
There are other reasons why a hybrid is costly though. The hybrid actually has two engines. A hybrid has a traditional engine run on traditional fuels, yet it also has an electric engine which runs off costly batteries. It is not that you have to replace the batteries as with a radio. The batteries are costly because they are very heavy duty rechargeable units.
The technology for recharging these batteries is also ground-breaking. The car uses traditional alternators to recharge them but it also uses braking power to recharge them too. Not just that but the car’s on board computer switches between the two motors automatically, depending on the quantity of power that is needed by the driver.
Keep an eye on the hybrid car market because prices are declining and together with subsidies, the time to buy a hybrid car might come sooner than you imagine.

Honda recalls 37,000 Civic Hybrid cars in US

Honda recalls 37,000 Civic Hybrid cars in US

In the latest defect recall to hit Japanese automakers, Honda said Thursday it will recall nearly 37,000 Civic Hybrids in the United States.Honda said a faulty converter in the hybrid control system could lead to the engine stalling and malfunction of the headlights.
No injuries or accidents have been reported in relation to the problem, which affects 2006 and 2007 models.
It comes two weeks after Honda said it was recalling nearly 700,000 vehicles worldwide due to defective parts that could stall the engine and cause problems restarting in certain models.
Honda has now recalled more than four million vehicles since February 2010 over a range of different issues, while Nissan has pulled around 3.5 million in the same period.
Toyota became mired in crisis when it recalled nearly nine million vehicles between late 2009 and February last year due to brake and accelerator defects linked to deadly accidents that tarnished its image of reliability.
As criticism mounted of its slow response and bureaucratic inflexibility, Toyota tightened its recall policy and has pulled around 16 million units since late 2009 over a range of issues.

'Air hybrid' cars would be cheaper than electric hybrids, claims researcher

Storing energy as compressed air rather than in batteries would reduce the cost of green hybrid cars, say researchers in Sweden

 

Electric cars and electric hybrid cars already make use of brake energy to power a generator that charges the batteries. However, according to Per Tunestål, a researcher in Combustion Engines at Lund University in Sweden, air hybrids, or pneumatic hybrids as they are also known, would be much cheaper to manufacture.
"The technology is fully realistic. I was recently contacted by a vehicle manufacturer in India which wanted to start making air hybrids," he says.
The technology is particularly attractive for jerky and slow driving, for example for buses in urban traffic.
"My simulations show that buses in cities could reduce their fuel consumption by 60%," says Sasa Trajkovic, a doctoral student in Combustion Engines at Lund University who recently defended a thesis on the subject.
Trajkovic also calculated that 48% of the brake energy, which is compressed and saved in a small air tank connected to the engine, could be reused later. This means that the degree of reuse for air hybrids could match that of today's electric hybrids. The engine does not require any expensive materials and is therefore cheap to manufacture. It also takes up much less space than an electric hybrid engine. The method works with petrol, natural gas and diesel.
The idea of air hybrids was initially hit upon by Ford in the 1990s, but the American car company quickly shelved the plans because it lacked the necessary technology to move forward with the project. Today, research on air hybrids is conducted at ETH in Switzerland, Orléans in France and Lund University in Sweden. One company that intends to invest in engines with air hybrid technology is the American Scuderi. However, their only results so far have been from simulations, not from experiments.
"This is the first time anyone has done experiments in an actual engine," says Trajkovic. "The research so far has only been theoretical. In addition, we have used data that means we get credible driving cycle results, for example data from the driving patterns of buses in New York."
The researchers in Lund hope that the next step will be to convert their research results from a single cylinder to a complete, multi-cylinder engine. They would thus be able to move the concept one step closer to a real vehicle.