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Counterintuitively wind power could be faster than oil. Oil burning ships are optimized for efficiency because fuel is a major expense, wind energy is use it or
by hedgehog 4y ago
Counterintuitively wind power could be faster than oil. Oil burning ships are optimized for efficiency because fuel is a major expense, wind energy is use it or lose it at zero marginal cost so there's no reason not to go as fast as possible.
- deleted 4y ago[deleted]
- darksaints 4y agoIt could be, but it’s not. Optimal speeds for cargo ships are going to be their hull speeds, which are usually between 12 and 18 knots, but these ships are typically traveling 25+. Ships often exceed their hull speeds because short times from port to port is more profitable than saving fuel. They could save 2-4x on fuel costs, but lose far more than that in revenue.