New Solar ferry debuts in Hong Kong

27.06.10 | NEW TANG DYNASTY TELEVISION

This new ferry was designed by Australian company, Solar Sailor. And Friday was its first voyage in Hong Kong waters.

The ferry now connects the Kowloon peninsula with the scenic island of Kau Sai Chau.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club, who runs three golf courses on the island, is responsible for bringing the Solar Sailor here.

The 79-foot-long vessel is estimated to save up to 50% on fuel, and carries up to 100 passengers across the bay with little noise.

With both a solar-powered electrical engine and a diesel engine, the Solar Sailor charges its batteries with solar energy absorbed by the panels on top and automatically switches to fuel when the batteries run low.

When its mechanical sails are raised, the Solar Sailor can be powered by wind.

It is part of the club’s wider campaign to preserve the natural beauty of the vibrant but highly polluted harbor city.

[Robert Dane, CEO, Solar Sailor]:
"The advantages of this are that it is always using fuel very efficiently and it's good for the environment and when we come into the wharf we can make no pollution.
And the commercial aspects of it are that the ferry runs on much less fuel and the testing that we've done on this ferry shows significant fuel savings compared to a diesel boat."

And when golf players reach the island, solar powered golf carts are ready to bring them around the course.

[Cameron Halliday, Manager, HKJC Golf Course]:
"The carts operate on basically reduced power consumption. They don't need to be charged after a full 18 holes, they can go out for 36 holes or much longer during the day. But the real savings come from the extended life of the batteries. With the "SolarDrive" canopies, the batteries last twice as long."

And for these golfers a nice way to enjoy their round without the smell of exhaust fumes.

[Mike Atkin, Golfer]:
"It's a lovely island. It's a great idea to take away that terrible smell of petroleum, isn't it? Great progress."

Four solar boats have been sold to the Hong Kong Jockey Club, making this the world's first commercial hybrid solar passenger ferry service.

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