8.05.08 Solar Sailor subsidiary wins second US Navy grant for Unmanned Ocean Vehicles
10.03.08 Solar Ferry A Bright Idea - SBS TV
January 08 Solar Sailor featured on CNN
14.01.08 Solar Sailor technology used on successful "Crossing of the Ditch"
29.11.07 Solar Sailor has successful AGM
ABC Newsradio, Australia
May 31, 2005
What utilises Australian technology, has solar sails, and could soon be ferrying tourists to New York's iconic Statue of Liberty?
It's a 115 foot hybrid trimaran ferry, the first of these environmentally friendly Australian designed ferries could be launched in New York within a year if the private company wins a tender to operate tourist services in the Big Apple. Newsradio's Reged Arnold has more:
Circle Line Ferries in New York is a private company currently in a big to run the tourist service to the State of Liberty and Ellis Island.
J.B. Meyer is the president of Circle Lines and he's already a self-confessed fan of the technology:
"I think its fabulous; the combination of solar and wind is just great for out here, the redundancy of the systems is fantastic which we need when we carry so many people over there, 3-4 million people a year. We pride ourselves on safety and security. It took us a while to decide how this technology will work; after travelling to Australia in December of last year and meeting with Robert and his team I became very convinced that this technology could work in New York. We're excited about doing this project.
Is it going to cost you more to implement this kind of technology than it would to stay with the regular ferries?
"Yes, theres no question; we think that this is going to be approximately 2-3 million dollars more than a conventional ferry but we at Circle Line want to do the most we can to become green and we also think that over time we'll be saving roughly a third in fuel every year and we think that will help negate some of the costs of the vessel."
Do you think there is also a publicity element that people won't just want to take the ferry to go and see the sights; tourists will also want to take the solar ferry?
"Oh I think there's no question this will be an added draw and thats part of the nice part about it that you can take the iconic symbol, the Statue of Liberty, that we have three and a half million people a year come to see it, this will be another beautiful sight for them to see. Its a beautiful ship, I think its great technology, and it will do a lot to make people more aware of the environment."
Did it surprise you that this kind of technology isn't more prevalent in Australia and used a little bit more?
"Not that suprising actually, I think they've done a great job; sometimes these things are when it's this sophisticated takes some time to get the technology just right and I think Solar Sailor's right at the top of the mountain right now and they're ready to take off in terms of people using these applications."
The technology is Australian and Solar Sailor co-founder Robert Dane is in New York as part of the bid for the popular tourist run. He says its all about fuel efficiency:
"It's like the hybrid car that you commonly see around today except that its a plug-in hybrid so we can plug the boat in at night and recharge the batteries. So when the vessel is operating at low speeds its completely on electric power which is running on batteries and the batteries are charged by solar. When the vessel goes over about 6 knots, a diesel main propulsion engine will cut in. When the diesel motors would be normally on but operating inefficiently such as at the wharf and thereby emitting pollution and toxic gases, thats when those motors are turned off and the vessel is an electric vessel."
And how many vessels are using this technology in Australia?
"We have the Sydney Solar Sailor ferry operated by Captain Cook Cruises. A company on the Gold Coast has just won the tender for 7 of these vessels for runs on the Gold Coast. Overseas, we're talking to people in Dubai, Hong Kong and Hawaii and as well, we have won the design and concept for 2 600 passenger vessels for San Francisco. The price of fuel and the pollution and the greenhouse gas emissions are really driving the technology."
Would you like to see this type of technology used for commuters more in Australia? Are you surprised its not already in use?
"The maritime industry is a very conservative one. There has to be a vessel replacement program underway. The technology is ideal for in harbour runs in Sydney Harbour, for example, for Manly Ferries. Outside that, we need improvements in the technology in regards to energy storage such as batteries. Eventually when the battery technology has the energy density then these vessels will be everywhere."
Thats Robert Dane, co-founder of the Australian company, Solar Sailor, ending that report by Newsradio's Reged Arnold.
END
