Australia: SolarSailor and Forgacs Engineering to Build World-First Wind/Solar Powered UOV

Renewable-energy arine technology company SolarSailor and Australian ship builder Forgacs Engineering Pty Ltd announced at the Clean Energy Investment Symposium in Sydney on Wednesday, their agreement to market, prototype, and build world-first wind and solar powered Unmanned Ocean Vessels.

The licence agreement between the two companies combines SolarSailor’s patented Unmanned Ocean Vessel (UOV) technology with Forgacs’ track record in major Navy and commercial ship building. The vessel is a “game-changer” for the $2 billion worldwide UOV market” according to Robert Dane, CEO Solar Sailor and the technology’s inventor.

Other types of UOVs currently in use deploy at sea for hours or days only, and use strictly finite amounts of on-board stored fossil-fuel or solar generated electric power for propulsion. The SolarSailor UOV offers unlimited time-at-sea with the primary propulsion being wind (with the SolarSail) for the vessel’s movement, and renewable-electricity generated at sea from propeller regeneration. Photo Voltaic cells on the SolarSail power all electronics such as steering, lighting, movement sensors and satellite communications.” Dr Dane said. “And abundant reserve electrical power is stored in Lithium Ion battery packs low down in the hull, which also act as ballast to balance the vessel. This opens a whole new suite of capabilities and markets in highly-sensitive security or weather-risk areas, in military operations and coastal border protection with unauthorized maritime arrivals, oceanography and meteorology, and marine safety at sea.”

The vessel requires no fossil fuels to operate and gives off zero-emissions. Photo-Voltaic solar cells cover the stowable aerofoil type wingsail and much of the deck. The propeller is driven by an electric motor (without engine noise) and is used in low-wind-conditions for manoeuvring, collision avoidance, and stealth missions.

These unique vessels offer a quantum change in maritime operations with worldwide implications according to Tony Lobb, Director of Forgacs. “Navies and coastguards worldwide can enjoy limitless at-sea operation and vessel-monitoring from on-shore, without risk to crew safety, and with large, variable payload capacities at low capital cost, and low running costs without the need for on-board crew or renewing fossil fuels, and this proven Solar Sailor technology is already powering six vessels in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Australia.”

SolarSailor is a public unlisted company (since 2000) with 170 shareholders, chaired by former Australian Prime Minister the Hon Bob Hawke.

Forgacs is a privately-owned shipbuilder and Navy defence contractor with 1000 employees, operating on seven sought- after marine and engineering sites in New South Wales and Queensland. Forgacs was 2010 Hunter Region Manufacturer of the Year in 2010 and currently has a major contract to supply modules for Australian Navy’s Air Warfare Destroyers – the largest Defence project Australia has ever seen.

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Source: solarsailor, September 12, 2011;