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Wednesday, April 24, 2024

First Self-Sufficient Zero Carbon Life Support Vessel (LSV)

Maritime Activity Reports, Inc.

January 3, 2011

Image courtesy SauterCarbonOffsetDesign.com

Image courtesy SauterCarbonOffsetDesign.com

The Ocean Empire LSV (life support vessel) is a 144.3-ftSolar Hybrid Superyacht with two Hydroponic farms and fishing facilities to harvest the sea. Her solar powered propulsion systems and all the hotel amenities of a luxury global voyager are supplied by harnessing 3 major sources of sustainable of energy.

The first and foremost source of energy is from the Sun which powers Solar Cells (covering the entire surface of the vessel) while at the same time illuminating 2 Hydroponic farms. The second source is energy from the Wind which powers an auxiliary automated SkySail that drives the Ocean Empire to 18+knots while charging her GM ESS2 batteries through power sailing KER. The third source is energy from Waves captured through Motion Damping Regeneration (MDR).  A new form of ATMD (Adjustable Tuned Mass Damper) developed in collaboration with Maurer Sohnes Gmbh. The MDR system is basically an ATMD utilized in skyscrapers such as Taipei 101 to reduce their swaying motion. In this application 16 tons of batteries are the Mass while linear generators produce up to 50 kws of electricity as they dampen the motion of the vessel.

Richard Sauter head of design commented “The Ocean Empire life support Superyacht liberates the Superyacht community from its strict dependence on unsustainable resources by harnessing the renewable collective power ever present in the Earths Biosphere.”

The Ocean Empire LSV is a state of the art Superyacht catamaran. As such her Green Tech innovations are able to optimize what is easily the most dynamic form of ocean going platform. Her Daimler Turbo Compound BueTec engine is the most advanced EPA Diesel ever built. Her Sunpower Solar Cells are the most efficient to date as are her Voith Surface Drives.

Employing existing OEM products and costing little more than her conventional Superyacht counterparts. Ocean Empire’s Solar Hybrid design offers every available Superyacht luxury within her full range of operation which extends from a 50% reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions to Ultra Green Carbon Neutral and Zero Carbon cruising.

As a Charter, a Plugged in Ocean Empire LSV is capable of feeding 360+Mwh’s of electricity to the grid. Enough energy to make up to 12,000 nautical miles of Chartered Carbon Neutral voyages every year. Existing OEM technology present in the Ocean Empire LSV:

  • Daimler Turbo Compound DD16 Electric Power Generation
  • SkySail Automated Traction Kite
  • SunPower Solar Cells
  • GM Allison Electronic Controller (KER) (Kinetic energy regeneration)•
  • Maurer Sohnes Gmbh  Motion Damping Regeneration. (MDR)
  • Voith Turbo Advanced Propulsion Surface Drives
  • Carbon Composite Wave Piercing Hi-efficiency displacement hulls
  • Advanced Aerodynamic Radar Canopy with PV Wing Spoilers
  • Energy Efficient Equipment, AC & Refrigeration with Waste Heat Recovery
  • Plug-in Computerized Energy Management, Maintenance & Guidance
  • GM Allison ESS2 Battery Storage UPS rated at 2,000Kwh

 
Ocean Empire LSV Specifications:
Length     144.3 ft
Beam     50.8 ft
Draft     2.6 ft
Guests     10
Crew     8
Weight     <85tons
Two Hydroponic farms    98.4 sq ft
SkySail     200kw
SunPower solar cells     70kw
Maure Sohnes MDR    50kw
Daimler DD16 Diesel Electric power generation    350kw
Siemens AC induction motors    300kw
Voith propulsion surface drives    1.5m
Fuel: Diesel/GM ESS2  batteries     20t/2,000kwh
Maximum speed     18+knts
Cruising speed    12+knts
Hybrid power sailing cruising range at 18knts    3,500+nm
Zero Carbon power sailing range at 14 knots average    Unlimited
Carbon Neutral power sailing range     <12,000+nm
Zero carbon motoring range at 10knts average    Unlimited
 

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