Bon Voyage: First Autonomous Vessel Continues Six-year Trip
July 15, 2018 | 12:12 |3153
Toyota has sponsored Energy Observer, the first autonomous ship project. Last July the boat set off on a 6-year voyage to test the efficiency of experimental installations. As part of the Odyssey, it will navigate 50 countries of the world. The boat is currently docked in Venice, its 25th stopover. Instead of combustion engines, the ship has the hybrid power generator that uses wind, solar and wave-generated power. In case of failure, reserves of hydrogen generated from seawater during navigation will serve as a redundant energy supply. An adapted onshore installation produces “reserve” hydrogen for the experimental boat by removing salt from seawater, and then separating the oxygen and hydrogen in water molecules through electrolysis. Pressurized gas is stored in tanks and retrieved when necessary. Energy Observer was built back in 1983 as a simple sailboat. Its creator, naval architect Nigel Irens, built the ship for competitions only. The boat withstood its first test by breaking the 500-mile limit in 24 hours. Then it boat was modernized to obtain greater speed. Energy Observer today is a big and light catamaran, 30.5m long and 12.8m wide. At 28 metric tons, ridiculous for a boat this big, Energy Observer became a perfect platform for testing the new energy system. For its 6-year trip, the ship’s bilges are loaded with measuring devices and supplies for the team that is studying the effectiveness of using sails and solar batteries with regard to different wave disturbances, along with conducting seminars on renewable energy sources for the people in the Odyssey’s cities of call.Аltyn ASHIROVA
