An age of greener, more efficient shipping may be in the offing as a specially modified 43,000-tonne bulk freighter completes a six-month sea trial using a combination of diesel engines and a set of high-tech automatic sails to catch the wind.
Probably just need to use biofuels and or very large battery systems. Generating enough energy on a vessel of that size probably isn’t feasible. Could maybe switch to nuclear instead that seems risky
Bio fuels are typically less energy dense than dinosaur squeezings. Diesel is around 40 mega joules per liter. Biodiesel is around 33.
So in this example you only get 82.5% of the energy unless you increase capacity of the fuel tanks, which would decrease the available space for cargo.
Probably just need to use biofuels and or very large battery systems. Generating enough energy on a vessel of that size probably isn’t feasible. Could maybe switch to nuclear instead that seems risky
Giving all these ships access to nuclear generators would be really bad.
Biofuel tanks might work in some situations, but it would either take away from shipping volume or limit access due to height of the ship.
Why would it take away from shipping volume? A biodiesel or equivalent shouldn’t take up any more room then current field?
Bio fuels are typically less energy dense than dinosaur squeezings. Diesel is around 40 mega joules per liter. Biodiesel is around 33.
So in this example you only get 82.5% of the energy unless you increase capacity of the fuel tanks, which would decrease the available space for cargo.