4 ms·
It’s possible adding panels could reduce the range because they’re heavy and so high up on the ship.
by cush 10mo ago
It’s possible adding panels could reduce the range because they’re heavy and so high up on the ship.
- jacquesm 10mo agoWeight won't matter much (you typically only accelerate it once, and the additional drag is small), it is just that the surface area is so small relative to what's needed that it just doesn't move the needle.
- arijun 10mo agoFrom the current top comment on this thread: > It's made out of aluminum instead of steel. The resulting weight savings make it a bit more efficient. That's something this shipping yard specializes in. According to that person, weight does indeed matter.
- reactordev 10mo agoSolar panels are also made from aluminum frames or can be flexible in plastic sheets. The weight is negligible.
- jacquesm 10mo agoYes, the weight of the hull, which is immense. Compared to that some solar panels probably weigh about as much as the paint. It's still ship, not an aircraft.
- notahacker 10mo agoAlso, thin film solar panels that can be stuck to a flat roof likely weigh less than the small portion of the battery capacity (250 tonnes of batteries total) they could theoretically substitute for. If you were optimising for mass rather than ease of maintenance you'd probably put them on (despite the relative lack of surface area meaning you still needed to recharge at each end)
- aziaziazi 10mo agoDrag is huge for boats, especially in seas and oceans that have tides and currents. Far more than a car... that also have to continuously burn oil to keep their speed, even on freeways.
- jacquesm 10mo agoSee my other comment...
- dredmorbius 9mo agoWeight matters for handling, particularly CoG and weather. It likely also has an impact on total cargo capacity. There's also the matter of windage and what impacts that might have on the ship. To say nothing of the capacity factor and reliability of electronics in a marine environment.