PowerSwitch

An interesting development in Norway.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-39478856

Norway has plenty of renewably generated electricity, and many short ferry routes so a virtually pollution free ship seems an excellent idea.

Less applicable to UK conditions.

And after some years, electric cross channel ferries are looking like a realistic project.

"Tenders are being invited for ship charging points" at ferry ports, with the UK and French governments seeking to eventually ban diesel ships from the route.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/cros ... -p862kvm8d

So a 40 ton diesel lorry drives 1000 miles from Gdansk, floats for 22 miles on an electric ferry, then drives 300 miles to the midlands ? Not a big win.

A better idea would be to start developing electric tractors and affordable wind turbines to charge them.

Catweazle wrote: ↑23 May 2022, 17:17 So a 40 ton diesel lorry drives 1000 miles from Gdansk, floats for 22 miles on an electric ferry, then drives 300 miles to the midlands ? Not a big win.

A better idea would be to start developing electric tractors and affordable wind turbines to charge them.

That is a good point, but I still support decarbonising cross channel ferries despite the ferry crossing being a small portion of the total journey in many cases.

Electric HGVs are starting to become available, but I doubt that they will ever be viable for more a few hundred miles. Wind turbines are available from many suppliers which should keep prices down.

I wonder if there is a case for electric canal boat transportation.

Heavy NOT just-in-time goods like sand, aggregates, heavy foods like potatoes or wheat or animal feed could be carried very economically. A bit like the 19th Century really.

Yes, and an electric canal boat could be solar powered in view of the modest speeds and low power required. One horsepower should be enough, remembering that within living memory an ACTUAL horse was used.

One kilowatt should produce one horsepower after losses in the motor and drive circuits. A five kilowatt PV array should propel the boat and charge a battery of perhaps 50 kwh so as to give several days reserve for dull weather or night time operation.

Yes I remember well a primary school visit in the late 1970s to the Cromford Canal in Staffordshire and the canal boat full of children was pulled by one horse. The horse was clearly a bit of a wimp compared with its early 19th Century counterparts as it gave up half way through the day and ten children had to pull instead. I recall how the rope did not appear very taut and was dipping in the water a lot so there was not that much tension on it when the boat was being pulled.

During daylight a canal boat could technically be entirely powered by the sun as only four solar panels would be needed (under the most ideal of conditions) to propel it. I would say more like 12 panels over the covered area of the boat would be more realistic is the covered area is big enough and some battery to cover transit through shaded areas and tunnels.

I think the Norwegians are going big on electric ferries at the moment.