VAWT on a boat video

Here is a video of a VAWT on a boat. it looks like a ferry and also has a bunch of solar panels. I have googled it but can not find anything, has anyone seen this before?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HU-UmoIfKkQ

How is the output of a VAWT affected by the boat speed? I'm sure it is not a perpetual motion machine that keeps putting out more power the faster it propels itself.

For example. If the boat is going downwind, as the apparent wind approaches zero the output of the VAWT approaches zero so there is no more power to propel it downwind etc, etc. I expect regardless of direction there is some balance that occurs with apparent wind and power. Can anyone point me to calculations or papers that discuss this topic?

 

Good point - but I don't think it will be a problem. Even the biggest turbine
http://www.urbangreenenergy.com/uge-products
the 30ft high, only produces 10,000 watts ( 13 hp )

On a boat big enough to carry this size rotor, if you got over 7 knots, on that power, you would be doing great.

Mind you, it doesnt cut in until the wind gets to 8 mph, and requires 25 mph wind to produce that much output.

So, apparent wind wont happen unless you operate on engines anyway, and you wouldn't want to have the rotors running while under power.


http://www.urbangreenenergy.com/products/UGE-9M/specifications