UNESCO joins Energy Observer, the first hydrogen ship

Discussion in 'Boat Design' started by schakel, Feb 23, 2017.

  1. Rurudyne
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    Rurudyne Senior Member

    Or at least no beans for the crew.
     
  2. schakel
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    schakel environmental project Msc

    It's just innovation, leads to more work and more sophiticated jobs.
    higher paid than "Steam hammer Sam".
     
  3. brian eiland
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    brian eiland Senior Member

  4. schakel
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    schakel environmental project Msc

    The list of sponsors and participants is getting longer:
    Main Sponsors:
    logo-accor.png
    http://www.accorhotels-group.com/en.html
    thelem.jpg
    https://www.thelem-assurances.fr/

    Institutional partners:
    Unesco world herirtage:
    http://whc.unesco.org/

    Charity foundation:
    http://www.fondation-nicolas-hulot.org/

    French company for hydrogen combustion:
    http://www.afhypac.org/

    Technical Innovation Partners:
    French Nuclear and nuclear fusion company
    http://www.cea.fr/

    Solar energy supplier:
    http://www.ines-solaire.org/

    Technical roof construction partner:
    http://www.technitoit.com/

    The kite propulsion system supplier:
    http://www.beyond-the-sea.com/#3

    Their french engineers school association.
    https://www.icam.fr/

    Adrena Navigation software.
    http://www.adrena.fr/en/

    And 4 more official suppliers and 2 specialized partners.
     
  5. schakel
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    schakel environmental project Msc

  6. upchurchmr
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    upchurchmr Senior Member

    I'll wait to see the energy balance achieved, the total cost, the operating costs, and the maintenence.
    Oh, and the performance.

    I do hope the "innovations" are something more than just hype for advertising.
     
  7. schakel
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    schakel environmental project Msc

    I hope so too. But I guess we have to respect this is a sponsored research vessel.
    Here is a (for me) hard to follow french video interview from the rebuild Energy Observer on the quai of St. Malo.

    https://www.facebook.com/EnergyObserverExpedition/videos/1506642049409555/


    Energy observer is the former Formule Tag.
    24m (80') racing catamaran
    Formule Tag. Winner of 1985
    Monaco-to-York Race. Holder of
    world record until 1994 for distance
    sailed in one day: 518 miles,
    average speed 21.6 knots.

    [​IMG]
     
  8. schakel
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    schakel environmental project Msc

    Try to look at it from a perspective that the solar energy is free and stored in hydrogen to get a effective hybrid combination that leads to cheap renewable energy wihout Carbon Dioxide emmisions.

    The energy observer was just berthed at St Malo and is now on a six years promotion tour around the world.
     
  9. upchurchmr
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    upchurchmr Senior Member

    I'll look to see if it is real life value.
    A promotional tour sounds like WWE - not something I automatically give credit to.

    Was there some hard data?
    Or is this just another show and tell with coloring books?
     
  10. schakel
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    schakel environmental project Msc

    She, the energy observer, is making a world tour, that is enough real life value for me.
    What do you expect if this project isn't feasible? That the hydrogen tanks start to leak? The engines burns their engine valves? The solarcells lose their ability to prodice electricity? It's all pretty proven technology only in a new configuration.

    The level of technology from Unesco is at PHd level.
    The french national institute for solar energy is involved.
    Just as their naval engineering schools so I guess the level is high enough.

    It's only that the french do not share their hard data like power and capacity and effectivenes so far. But I'll try to get as much as possible hard data about the amount of hydrogen generated, effectiveness of solar cells, Output from the engines, speed, Range when fully charged. Any other sugestions?
    I'll send them a request.
     
  11. upchurchmr
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    upchurchmr Senior Member

    Electricity per quantity of hydrogen.
    Hydrogen qty per engine output.
    Cost of the system vs diesel.

    Now I don't expect everything to show more cost effective - I expect this to be a development program, or they would be selling the technology right now.

    I just want some indication that in the "near" future, it could be cost effective.

    After all, the US Airforce procured a Mach 3+ reconnaissance aircraft in the 60's and it did the job.
    It just cost 1+Million per flight and can no longer be afforded (and that is on top of developing, making, and maintaining the aircraft).

    OBTW, all those people involved are working on someone else's money. Doesn't really convince me this will work when you and I put up the money.
     
  12. schakel
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    schakel environmental project Msc

    I guess you mean the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird.
    Great looking and exciting airplane was that.

    About the cost. I guess it's with this project the same as with wind energy.
    You'll never be able to earn the money back.
    But once you have build it, you can travel with it without additional fuel cost and zero emmisions.

    I'll send an E-mail to energy observer with my and your questions.
    I'll include this link and I hope they are willing to respond.
     
  13. upchurchmr
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    upchurchmr Senior Member

    You have a very strange idea of what cost effective means.
    Every commercial shipping boat earns back what it costs to build.

    If you can't do that then it will bankrupt you sooner or later.
     
  14. schakel
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    schakel environmental project Msc

    I know that of the millions of sailing boats build in the world very few earn the invested money back.

    Environmental engineering has more emphasis on protecting he enviroment with less regards to cost than pure commercial projects do.

    I have send a facebook message to their facebook messenger with the following content:

    Hello entrepreneurs of this new technology.

    I am as an environmental project engineer interested in the technical data your new vessel produces:

    To name a few:
    Electricity per quantity of hydrogen.
    Hydrogen qty per engine output.
    Cost of the system vs diesel.
    amount of hydrogen generated, effectiveness of solar cells,
    Output from the engines,
    speed,
    Range when fully charged.


    I know it's a development project to stimulate this emmission free and renewable energy so I hope you'll provide the new generated facts and specifications.

    I was asked to ask you this by a naval engineeringsite called Boat design.net

    Here is the link where your project is being discussed. http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/bo...nergy-observer-first-hydrogen-ship-57322.html

    My name in that forum is schakel.

    I hope to hear from you.
    Ideal would be if you join that forum and lead the discussion from there on. You are the ones who have the actual experience. I hope to hear from you and good luck with your promotion tour.
     

  15. schakel
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    schakel environmental project Msc

    Has anybody more photo's on board Energy Observer?
    She is in La Rochelle now.
    Energy observer.PNG
     
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