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These green-washed headlines are getting absurd. Wind-powered suggests there's no fossil fuel based propulsion, when these rotors are driven by the same propul

These green-washed headlines are getting absurd. Wind-powered suggests there's no fossil fuel based propulsion, when these rotors are driven by the same propulsion system as the ship's propellors: diesel.

masklinn 8y ago
Wind-powered suggests that motile power is provided by the wind, which is the case here. Surely a sailboat with electrically controlled surfaces is still wind-powered?
- dwighttk 8y ago
  There is still a diesel engine in the loop, which if turned off makes the ship not move. These are like electric hybrid cars which are sometimes thought* of more valuable than increased efficiency of burning gas (which is all they boil down to) *at least I used to think that. Maybe I'm the only one.
  - masklinn 8y ago
    > There is still a diesel engine in the loop, which if turned off makes the ship not move. So it is with my sailboat example? > These are like electric hybrid cars which are sometimes thought* of more valuable than increased efficiency of burning gas (which is all they boil down to) Most hybrid cars are plug-in, you can charge the battery directly and use mixed-electric mode or even exclusively electric mode for short distances.
    - dwighttk 8y ago
      Most sailboats operate fine if the engine is off. It may be that plugin hybrids are more numerous now, but for a very long time most hybrids did not have the plug in option.
  - deleted 8y ago
    [deleted]
- newnewpdro 8y ago
  They're just slightly improving the efficiency of a grossly inefficient system. When wind becomes the dominant propulsion force, then it becomes appropriate to start using terms like "wind-powered". As-is, this is just PR. These vessels burn copious amounts of awfully dirty bunker fuel with basically zero emissions control systems. If you've spent any time downwind of such ships, you would better appreciate how offensive the green-washing of this relatively minor improvement really is. Just sailing downwind of a cruise ship idling at port is noxious enough to make one nauseous, and it isn't even under load. The whole industry needs a hard reset in the emissions department. Basically any commercial transportation venture traversing international air/seas operates in a regulatory void and takes advantage of it wherever possible, at the expense of the planet.

masklinn 8y ago

Wind-powered suggests that motile power is provided by the wind, which is the case here. Surely a sailboat with electrically controlled surfaces is still wind-powered?

dwighttk 8y ago
There is still a diesel engine in the loop, which if turned off makes the ship not move. These are like electric hybrid cars which are sometimes thought* of more valuable than increased efficiency of burning gas (which is all they boil down to) *at least I used to think that. Maybe I'm the only one.
- masklinn 8y ago
  > There is still a diesel engine in the loop, which if turned off makes the ship not move. So it is with my sailboat example? > These are like electric hybrid cars which are sometimes thought* of more valuable than increased efficiency of burning gas (which is all they boil down to) Most hybrid cars are plug-in, you can charge the battery directly and use mixed-electric mode or even exclusively electric mode for short distances.
  - dwighttk 8y ago
    Most sailboats operate fine if the engine is off. It may be that plugin hybrids are more numerous now, but for a very long time most hybrids did not have the plug in option.
- deleted 8y ago
  [deleted]
newnewpdro 8y ago
They're just slightly improving the efficiency of a grossly inefficient system. When wind becomes the dominant propulsion force, then it becomes appropriate to start using terms like "wind-powered". As-is, this is just PR. These vessels burn copious amounts of awfully dirty bunker fuel with basically zero emissions control systems. If you've spent any time downwind of such ships, you would better appreciate how offensive the green-washing of this relatively minor improvement really is. Just sailing downwind of a cruise ship idling at port is noxious enough to make one nauseous, and it isn't even under load. The whole industry needs a hard reset in the emissions department. Basically any commercial transportation venture traversing international air/seas operates in a regulatory void and takes advantage of it wherever possible, at the expense of the planet.