Meet the German company creating electric boats in Europe

While solar panels are being installed on homes and businesses at record rates, and the electric car industry threatens to explode, the same level of progress has not been made to date with marine vessels.

But German company Ostseestaal is looking to change that with its range of emission-free, renewably-powered vessels. The company has already launched ten electric ships. Now shipping company Bodensee-Schiffsbetriebe (BSB) has placed an order for the biggest one yet, a tourist attraction on Lake Constance (known as ‘Bodensee’ in Germany).

Ostseestall has labelled its electric vessels the “White Fleet”, and the thirty metre passenger ferry for Lake Constance is being constructed under the project name Artemis. It will include panels on the open deck that will power all operations, including amenities and entertainment.

Artemis will also come with batteries that have 1000MW capacity and a top speed of 17 knots. It will be able to transport 300 passengers and eighteen bicycles. It is new territory for Ostseestaal and the solar shipping industry.

“With this passenger ship for use on Lake Constance, we are entering new dimensions in the field of electric solar ships,” Ostseestaal technical director Thomas Kühmstedt said.

The electric ship powered by the ocean 

Meanwhile, in the Phillippines, there are plans to launch a wave-powered trimaran that the ocean itself will power.

A trimaran, which is a yacht with three hulls in parallel, is commonly used for transport between the 7,640 islands that make up the Phillippines. That means the biggest emissions problem facing the nation is actually on the water.

Marine engineer and owner of the shipbuilding company Metallica Marine Consultancy, Fabrication and Services Jonathan Salvador is working on the solution, with a trimaran that converts the movement of waves into electrical energy.

Mr Salvador equipped a hybrid trimaran with a wave energy converter built into the outriggers, harvesting the kinetic energy from the waves. The longer the trimaran travels and the more waves it encounters, the more power it produces. At $5 million, the concept trimaran is beyond the budget of the average Phillippines resident, but the potential is there for a future fleet hitting the waters.

How you can use renewable energy on the water 

You don’t need to shell out millions of dollars to harness solar energy when you hit the ocean. Energy Matters Marketplace stocks kits that make it simple for you to power your vessel with the sun.

TP-solar panel kits have everything you need to get started. These 20W panels are small and easy to transport, featuring pre-drilled holes to make them easy to install.

These kits come with 6.5-foot cables, with alligator clips and an O-ring terminal to make it simple to charge batteries and a range of DC applications. Best of all, they are not only suitable for your boat, but also your caravan, RV or anywhere else you need remote, renewable energy. 

Call us today on 1800 EMATTERS and get a quick quote. You can also email our friendly team for expert, obligation-free advice.