At 24 meters long and 10 meters wide, it functions on a combination of energy generated by solar panels, wind turbines, hydrogen fuel cells and diesel-electric thermal generators.
The Universidad Politécnica de Cataluña and the company Drassanes Dalmau have developed a catamaran that functions with renewable energies, and achieves energy savings of 40% compared to ships of the same size.
It’s called Eco Slim, and it’s the largest European ecological catamaran for sea navigation, at 24 meters long and 10 meters wide. Able to transport 150 passengers, this boat has two high performance electric motors connected to multiple energy sources: an electric-diesel group and a collection of 90 lead batteries that can be charged by connecting to an outlet on land, but which also can function using the two wind turbines and the 40 solar panels installed on the deck of the boat.
All the elements composing the energy supply system are governed by an electronic management unit, which automatically controls the different sources of energy powering the boat.
With this propulsion system, the catamaran can sail for four hours straight at a speed of 6 or 7 knots. The motor and batteries can be charged in an hour and a half.
The hull, designed and built in a similar manner to the production of automobile bodies, weighs 50% less than other conventional models, and also has 20% lower drag.
The technology used could be applied in the future to other types of vessels and sectors.