Auriga Leader is a car carrier, owned by Nippon Yusen Kaisha, and used for mobile machineries and cars worldwide; for example, Mitsubishi vehicles from Japan to the rest of the world. A small amount of the ship's power is produced by photovoltaic panels.
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Singapore | |
| Name | Auriga Leader |
| Operator |  Nippon Yusen Kaisha, Nippon Oil |
| Builder | Mitsubishi |
| Completed | 2008 |
| Identification |
|
| General characteristics [1] | |
| Class and type | Car carrier |
| Tonnage |
|
| Length | 199.99 m (656.1 ft) |
| Beam | 32.26 m (105.8 ft) |
| Depth | 34.52 m (113.3 ft) |
| Capacity | 6,200 cars |
Experimental
editNippon Yusen Kaisha and Nippon Oil developed the Auriga Leader partly as an experimental vessel, where it is supposed to gather statistical research in how solar power can assist in powering a ship at sea. The ship's experimental stage was planned for two years.[2]
Results
editThe solar panels produced 1.4 times more energy on the ship at sea than on land in Tokyo. It is not known what factors had an impact on this, but it is suggested that being at sea means more sunlight and that the wind encountered cools off the panels and thus increases efficiency.[2]
Efficiency
editThe Auriga Leader's solar power capabilities produced an anticipated 0.05% of the ship's propulsion power and 1% of its electrical usage. This will contribute to lowering the ship's fuel usage by approximately 13 tonnes and its CO2 output by 40 tonnes per year.[2]
References
edit- ^ "Using Solar Power for Ship Propulsion The World First Solar-Powered Ship Sails" (Press release). NYK-Nippon Oil Joint Project. January 5, 2009. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved March 26, 2010.
- ^ a b c "NYK and Nippon Oil Corporation Joint Project Auriga Leader Completes Seven Months of Voyages Using Solar Power" (Press release). NYK Line. September 8, 2009.