Jul 20, 2009
If you think it's impressive that Toyota is adding solar panels to the tops of its new-generation Priuses hybrids, which are about to come to showrooms, consider what's happening at sea.Toyota is encouraging its prime shipping line, NYK, to use more solar energy on its ships. The Auriga Leader, a 60,000-ton car carrier that went into service this year, has 328 solar panels on its rooftop deck that generate up to 40 kWs of power. You can see the panels in the picture above - - those little black rectangles. They don't generate enough to power the propellers, but it is enough to run the fans that ventilate the 12 car decks and auxiliary machinery like the ship's steering gear.
Every little bit helps, given the rotten state of the auto shipping business, as profiled in the USA TODAY todayThe ship's Romanian captain, Eugen State, says the panels are kind of a no-fuss item, requiring little upkeep by the crew. Other ships have long had solar panels, but not to the extent of the Auriga. By the way, the Prius doesn't use its solar energy to turn the wheels either. It's used to run a fan to keep the car cool while parked on hot days. Sound familiar?
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