Auriga Leader
| Career (Japan) |  |
|---|---|
| Name: | Auriga Leader |
| Operator: | Nippon Yusen, Nippon Oil |
| Completed: | 2008 |
| General characteristics [1] | |
| Class and type: | Car carrier |
| Tonnage: |
18,758 metric tons (deadweight tonnage) 60,213 gross tons |
| Length: | 199.99 m (656.1 ft) |
| Beam: | 32.26 m (105.8 ft) |
| Draft: | 34.52 m (113.3 ft) |
| Capacity: | 6,200 cars |
Auriga Leader is a car carrier owned by Nippon Yusen used for shipping Toyota cars from Japan to USA. It is the first ship in the world to be partially propelled by solar power.
Experimental
Nippon Yusen and Nippon Oil developed the Auriga Leader partly as an experimental vessel, where it is supposed to gather statistical research in how solar power can assist in powering a ship at sea. The ship's experimental stage has been planned for two years, and has as of September 8, 2009 completed 7 months of that period.[2]
Results
The solar panels produced 1.4 times more energy on the ship at sea than on land in Tokyo. It is not known what factors are having an impact on this, but it is suggested that being at sea means more sunlight and that the wind encountered cools off the panels and thus increasing efficiency.[2]
Efficiency
The Auriga Leader's solar power capabilities produced as anticipated 0.05% of the ship's propulsion power and 1% of its electrical usage. This will contribute to lowering the ship's fuel usage by approximately 13 tons and its CO2 output by 40 tons.[2]
References
- ↑ NYK-Nippon Oil Joint Project (January 5, 2009). "Using Solar Power for Ship Propulsion The World First Solar-Powered Ship Sails". Press release. http://www.nyk.com/english/release/31/NE_090105.html.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 NYK Line (September 8, 2009). "NYK and Nippon Oil Corporation Joint Project Auriga Leader Completes Seven Months of Voyages Using Solar Power". Press release. http://www.nyk.com/english/release/31/NE_090908.html.
