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Prius of the sea: Battery pack will make Viking Lady a hybrid ship
A new battery will reduce the already eco-friendly transport's fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by 20 to 30 percent.
Mon, Jun 25 2012 at 10:28 AM
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Photo: AnatomicPants/YouTube
The 300-foot-long (92.2-meter-long) Viking Lady is set to get a battery pack, which will turn the supply vessel into a hybrid ship with technology similar to the Toyota Prius and other hybrid cars.
Built in 2009, the Viking Lady already has a fuel cell as part of its propulsion system and was the first merchant ship run with a fuel cell. Now, it's undergoing an upgrade. Researchers expect the Lady's new battery, which they plan to install in 2013, will reduce its fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions by 20 to 30 percent. When the ship is in harbor, researchers expect it will run only on its fuel cell and battery, reducing emissions and pollution for people and environments onshore, said Bjørn-Johan Vartdal, a project manager from Det Norske Veritas, a Norwegian risk-management company that is one of three organizations working on the hybrid ship.
The fuel savings means the Viking Lady will pay for itself in two years, according to Det Norske Veritas. Researchers also expect the changes to reduce the Lady's maintenance costs and onboard noise.
It's not clear if the battery will be rechargeable or if it will need occasional replacement. It may be rechargeable: the company that owns the ship, Eidesvik, is working on power-plant ships that are able to deliver electricity to other ships in port.
The Viking Lady is part of a research program run by Eidesvik, Det Norske Veritas and a marine energy company, Wärtsilä, all based in Norway. The program won a place in Sustainia 100, a catalog of promising sustainable solutions to global warming presented at the United Nations' Rio+20 conference June 20.
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I like the idea ( BUT )
the Prius? ; it really dose not work ?
The batteries !! ; a five year max and a huge investment ? yes ? every five years !
I would propose a (gen electric sys ) at port solar, wind , fuel cell .
and a battery backup as last resort
The tech of batteries is not at the point where it is worth the over all expense . ( rare earths, toxins , life span , & $$ )
It's a similar technology-not exactly the same as a Prius or other hybrid battery pack. Speaking of which-the Prius battery packs are lasting in the 8-12+ year range in actual use. Then they are recycled.