Solar powered sea adventures

Could one solar powered catamaran resolve environmentalists’ fear of the international shipping industry?

Traveling the world by sea was once a luxury, and now it seems like a thing of the past. However, the maritime industry may now have been reinvented in the eyes of environmentalists.

The Turanor PlanetSolar is a solar-powered catamaran that is completing its circumvention around the world at the end of this month. It started off in Monaco almost a year ago and will finish its journey in Singapore. Solar panels are sometimes used on boats to power appliances but never before have they been used to power an entire boat.

“We want to show to the world what can be done, that modern solar technology has huge economic potential,” said Raphael Domjan, the PlanetSolar project manager, in an interview with the New York Times.

“It doesn’t seem likely to me that people that people will put this on their boats [at the private level]. People won’t even put [solar panels] on their houses,” said College of Communication sophomore Rebecca Hwang.

The catamaran was worldly from the start, having been designed in New Zealand and built in Germany. It even boasts a Swiss flag today. 102 feet long, its entire top is covered with roughly 5,300 square feet of solar panels. The entire boat cost $15 million to build.

Considering the cost of construction, could this experiment start a trend?

“It seems impractical. There are probably other ways to power ships if people are so concerned with the environment,” said Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences junior Callie Bacon.

The panels collect energy, which is then stored in lithium-ion batteries. The onboard computers, which are powered by solar energy in turn, use software that assists the crew in finding the most energy-efficient route. It calculates efficiency not only based on distance, but also speed, wind and waves.

IMPORTING, EXPORTING, AND EMISSIONS – OH MY!

Although the PlanetSolar was built to show off the capabilities of solar power, it’s also directing attention to the shipping industry. Carrying 90 percent of the world’s trade, the shipping industry is responsible for three percent of global carbon emissions.

“[Even] small boats can have big damage on local environments when they strip their paint every year, if they gas up sloppily, when they dump their wastes,” said Rick Reibstein, an environmental studies professor at Boston University. “Even jet skis can damage ecosystems.”

So far, the maritime industry has neglected to make any changes based upon environmental issues.

“More immediate regulatory measures through the International Maritime Organization and other political forums are needed,” said Henrik Selin, an international relations professor at BU.

The PlanetSolar is nothing compared to the ships used for international shipping. Not only are they too big to be powered solely by solar energy, they also don’t have the money or time to plan their routes in accordance with the sun. To have any great environmental effect, tens of thousands of ships would have to adopt environmentally friendly fuel options.

“Approximately 90 percent of all international trade involves shipping. The shipping industry is responsible for three to four percent of global carbon dioxide emissions,” Selin said. “As trade volumes continue to grow, there will be more ocean transport and more emissions of carbon dioxide and other highly destructive pollutants.”

FINDING A FITTING FUEL

The shipping industry is interested in exploring new ways to power its ships, but money comes first. Fuel makes up more than 50 percent of operating costs, according to The New York Times.

Slowing the ships down could save money and reduce emissions, but clients can’t afford slow shipments.

“Most countries so far have not been willing to come together and set international greenhouse gas controls for the shipping industry,” Selin said.

There are measures being taken toward improving hulls and propellers in tankers, which are less advanced that modern car engines. Biofuels, natural gas, and nuclear power are being explored while research continues on many other usable alternative fuels. The sun seems to be an experimental power source and cannot be used towards commercial vehicles quite yet.

CONTROLLING COMMUNITIES

“The setting of global regulations is complicated by the fact that all major trading and shipping nations must agree on a common set of standards for them to be effective,” Salin said. “States cannot be forced to take on standards that they do not accept voluntarily. This is a significant legal, political and economic issue that will remain controversial for quite some time.”

“There are big challenges with international water law,” Reibstein said. “But we have to start where we can.”

“Is this really what money should be going towards to help the environment?” said College of General Studies sophomore Luci Ramos. “Yeah, theoretically it’d be sweet, but it doesn’t seem like it’d work in practice. Not to mention it’s super hard to regulate something involving international business.”

Coming to a consensus on what should be required of a ship in terms of cost-efficiency and environmental regulations is complicated – and perhaps too challenging. Could money be used more efficiently elsewhere?

“Right now the dirtiest fuels are used for shipping and there is poor or no enforcement out on the open waters,” Reibstein said. “So many problems result from marine transportation. Any experiment with new technology moves us forward. Even if it fails, if it demonstrates any other options we can use, even if people aren’t ready to buy them.

“It is of growing importance to find technical and regulatory means to reduce pollution from shipping. Solar energy can perhaps be part of the technological portion of the solution, and there is a need for much more testing and development involving projects like PlanetSolar. Yet, we are a very long way from solar powered tankers,” Selin said.