Hiding batteries in sails


Creating fuel from water


Several leading engine builders are touting hydrogen gas as a replacement for diesel and gasoline in engines, given that it’s cheap, widely available, and the only emission it produces is steam. Further, engines running on hydrogen would only require minor modifications from existing ICE designs, making the transition fast and cheap.


Like any other propellant, hydrogen would need to be carried onboard in a tank, which takes up space and delivers a finite volume of fuel. But a new technology being developed in the US to strip hydrogen from water could theoretically give boats, yachts and commercial ships unlimited range, allowing them to create their own fuel on the fly as required.


By introducing water to two key elements – aluminium and gallium – researchers at


the University of California found they were able to induce a chemical reaction which produces significant volumes of hydrogen gas that can be used to power a vessel.


Best of all, the reaction takes place at room temperature, eliminating any need to heat or cool the water in order to achieve a result.


Whether or not their process for generating hydrogen fuel on demand can be scaled to commercially viable levels remains to be seen. The researchers have filed a patent application for the process, however, so clearly, they believe it possible for boats to produce their own fuel on the go while enjoying unlimited range roaming the oceans of the world.


Paint on solar panels


Not everyone likes the look of a solar panel array. But what if the panels could just be painted on, and in any colour you like?


That’s the goal of researchers at the University of Toronto in Canada, who are developing paint- on solar panels using quantum dot solar cells. Quantum dots are tiny, light-sensitive grains small enough to be mixed into regular paint. They are


more effective than traditional solar panels because they respond to a broader range of light wavelengths and can be used to coat the entire vessel.


Even better, quantum dots are cheap, so they offer a low cost per watt of power – a key factor in making the technology commercially viable. The technology has already attracted interest – and investment – from major automakers.


The Report • June 2023 • Issue 104 | 97


Electric boats need big battery packs, and they can suck up a lot of interior space especially on sailboats, where there isn’t much room to begin with. But a new flexible battery technology could eliminate that problem by allowing a vessel’s sails to store all the energy it needs.


Researchers at the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore have developed


a flexible, lightweight and paper-thin battery that can be rolled, folded, twisted or even ripped without impairing its ability to supply power. This allows the battery to be integrated into flexible structures like sails, or even a canvas top. Combined with solar panels and an electric motor, the flexible batteries could theoretically give any sailboat unlimited global range.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129  |  Page 130  |  Page 131  |  Page 132  |  Page 133  |  Page 134  |  Page 135  |  Page 136  |  Page 137  |  Page 138  |  Page 139  |  Page 140  |  Page 141  |  Page 142  |  Page 143  |  Page 144