Fuel Costs

[tapemann]

With Oil still going up and ships getting bigger,why aren't new ships looking to wind power to generate electric current. The diesel engines just run generators. I'm sure someone can come up with mini wind mills on a mast to produce enough power for lights and cut down on oil usage.

[JanineM]

I suspect that the ship builders are considering alternate forms of fuel, however it takes years for a ship to go from inception to completion.

 

The major cruiselines are public companies with shareholders who want to see earnings increase, so you can bet they are trying to find ways to reduce their costs.

[Vampire Parrot]

An interesting idea :cool:

 

A lot of the apparent wind felt across the deck of a cruise ship when at sea is due to the motion of the cruise ship through the water, and so putting up a wind turbine may increase the drag on the ship, which would mean more thrust would be needed from the propulsion system.

 

However.... if the wind is strong and from the stern, which it commonly is for an eastbound north Atlantic crossing, then the wind turbine would actually push the ship along, as well as generate electricity!

 

There is a 10,000 ton merchant ship, The Beluga Sky Sail, which uses a massive kite as auxiliary propulsion.... google for Beluga Sky Sail for more info.

[chasetf]

With Oil still going up and ships getting bigger,why aren't new ships looking to wind power to generate electric current. The diesel engines just run generators. I'm sure someone can come up with mini wind mills on a mast to produce enough power for lights and cut down on oil usage.

Hey.... a better idea is .......why cover the upper decks with pools, lounges, sports decks, and that other stuff.......... just cover them with solar panels. Also, they could spread stablizer like wings and tow barges to get extra acreage for solar generation.

 

Might get enough power to replace a diesel engine. :rolleyes:

 

Now.... where are we going to put all those batteries. :confused: .......

[chipmaster]

With Oil still going up and ships getting bigger,why aren't new ships looking to wind power to generate electric current. The diesel engines just run generators. I'm sure someone can come up with mini wind mills on a mast to produce enough power for lights and cut down on oil usage.

 

Oil or diesel for the ships is still the most cost efficient means of generating energy. Get used to higher prices for everything.

 

The reality is the natural supply demand for oil right now is probably closer to 75-100 bucks and in a year or two probably the current price 130-150 a barrel.

 

Wind: Not practicial as primary as ships are on tight schedules and to be at the mercy of the wind would mean who knows when you get to next port. Also wind isn't exactly a practical way to try and move a 100,000 ton vessel with 4000+ people is it. As secondary its zero sum as if you leverage the wind resistance to generate eletricity you'll burn more fuel to push the ship. Not also considering the efficiency lost in turning wind to power and power to push the ship. YOu are in a bigger energy hole.

 

Solar: The only reason solar is even being used these days is due to heavy subsidizes from goverment and taxpayers. It will take at least another 10x increase in solar efficiency to make them even break even with other ways to generate eletricity. ALso ships covered with panels would'n't be pretty let alone elegant.

[chipmaster]

Hey.... a better idea is .......why cover the upper decks with pools, lounges, sports decks, and that other stuff.......... just cover them with solar panels. Also, they could spread stablizer like wings and tow barges to get extra acreage for solar generation.

 

Might get enough power to replace a diesel engine. :rolleyes:

 

Now.... where are we going to put all those batteries. :confused: .......

 

Batteries are one of the most ecologically unfriendly things made by man.

 

Where do we begin..

 

1) Strip minning of the raw materials and the waste and ecology mess left from the mining

 

2) The shipping of the raw material often thousands of mile to the far east to make the battery

 

3) Creating the battery in countries with little ecology rules creating local polluted air, water, and land, not to mention the explotation of the local cheap wages in the far east

 

4) Shipment of that heavy battery to the manufacturing site, often in US or Europe

 

5) Us of the batter in some fancy hybrid or "green" tool as replacement for some other device. Other device is now thrown away though perfectly still usable creating another waste problem

 

6) Disposal of the highly toxic used battery. Same cycle often shipped at considerable expense and wasted energy to 3rd world country polluting ane exploting the people there.

 

A little known fact is that the carbon footprint to create and use a Prius after you factor in the cost of producing and disposing the battery and the fact the buyer is most likely throwing away a perfectly good car is actually far more ecologically wasteful then using your current car ( even if it is a Suburban ) till it breaks down.

 

In the end oil is still the most efficient energy source. THe focus should be on making more efficient engines.