Comments on: World’s First Solar-powered Ship by Nippon Yusen KK and Nippon Oil Corp http://www.greenpacks.org/2008/08/29/worlds-first-solar-powered-ship-by-nippon-yusen-kk-and-nippon-oil-corp/ Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:17:45 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Dave http://www.greenpacks.org/2008/08/29/worlds-first-solar-powered-ship-by-nippon-yusen-kk-and-nippon-oil-corp/comment-page-1/#comment-1344 Dave Sat, 30 Aug 2008 01:42:39 +0000 http://www.greenpacks.org/?p=934#comment-1344 Of course, 6.5% of the fuel they use would come out to more than $1.4 million per year. Although it will cost money to install, it will save money in the long run. And in business terms, one year is not a very long run at all. Most businesses would be happy to see a return on an investment after 5 or 10 years. The purpose of commercialising it is to make it easier to convince ship owners to fit the solar panel system to their cargo ships. The money they make will be a nice bonus but the environmental impact will be more important (at least to me). I'm sure you're already aware of the kite-powered cargo ships that save 30 - 50% of their fuel with an enormous kite that is automatically deployed from the bow of the ship. Of course, 6.5% of the fuel they use would come out to more than $1.4 million per year. Although it will cost money to install, it will save money in the long run. And in business terms, one year is not a very long run at all. Most businesses would be happy to see a return on an investment after 5 or 10 years.

The purpose of commercialising it is to make it easier to convince ship owners to fit the solar panel system to their cargo ships. The money they make will be a nice bonus but the environmental impact will be more important (at least to me).

I’m sure you’re already aware of the kite-powered cargo ships that save 30 – 50% of their fuel with an enormous kite that is automatically deployed from the bow of the ship.

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