Americas News
New Wind-Powered Ferries Could Save 40% on Fuel
A wind-power technology that could cut fuel costs by 20 to 40 percent is undergoing tests for possible use on San Francisco commuter ferries, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
A consortium of sailors and entrepreneurs received a $355,000 grant from pollution regulators and are now testing a 45-foot carbon-fiber sail in San Francisco Bay on the U.S. West Coast.
The companies have tested the technology using a small boat on ferry routes around San Francisco, and they are now preparing to mount the sail on larger passenger boats where it would complement a diesel engine, potentially reducing fuel use and emissions by as much as 40 percent.
Sails using the design would cost about $250,000 to build, but could quickly pay for themselves since a ferry can spend $1.2 million on fuel annually.
Developers said San Francisco Bay's high winds make it an ideal location for the technology.
"The winds are here," said Jay Gardner, president of Napa-based Wind and Wing Technologies.
"Just watch the revs on the engine decrease as the sail takes over."
The sail, developed by engineer Richard Jenkins, uses a built-in solar-powered computer to rotate, optimising its angle.
Private ferry operators in the city have been in talks with the developers over the potential use of the sail, either on existing ferries or on more streamlined vessels that could better take advantage of wind power.
"I'm really impressed with how little fuel you can use," said Carolyn Horgan, president of ferry operator Blue & Gold Fleet.
"This is a direction we'd like to go."
Players in Japanese, Irish, and UK marine industries are also looking at sail technologies.
