this post was submitted on 02 Apr 2024
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[–] RaoulDook 23 points 10 months ago (18 children)

Next they should replace the diesel engines with bigass electric motors, and put solar panels over every top surface of the vessel that they can, and even possibly on the sail-wings too. Wind and solar powered shipping would be a good combo since there are plenty of both out on the seas. Charge the boat batteries at port as needed, cruise while collecting solar power etc

[–] shalafi 15 points 10 months ago (4 children)

I have a 4'x10' flatbottomed boat. Of the 40sq./ft. I cover 45% in solar to make a modest trolling motor go 6-7mph. Weight with myself, wife, battery, cells, misc. gear: 300lbs.

Solar ain't gonna get it on a cargo ship weighing 165,000 tons and a couple of football fields long.

[–] RaoulDook -2 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Batteries are part of what I said, which you seem to be ignoring. A ship that huge could hold some huge-ass batteries to power the bigass motors. Sodium-ion batteries would be the ideal solution with presently available technology.

[–] supercriticalcheese 3 points 10 months ago

Nowhere near the power density needed to get the job done

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