How feasible is 100% renewable electric cruising right now?

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by stevegerber

Interesting idea regarding electric canal cruising. A quick search on YouTube turned up the Thames Solar Electric canal boat.

This is along the lines I was thinking of...not sure about the 18ton concrete floor though.

But yeah, 6kw solar feeding 96kwh batteries with 26kw electric motors. Using a little logic, if they get 10hr at cruise speed, they are pulling around 9.6kw at 5.5 kph, so lots of spare power for short bursts of thrust.
- Speed limit on most of the canals is only 6.4kph and I'm sure you could push a little harder and hit those speeds if you accept a little less range (or use a slightly more efficient hull design without an 18ton concrete floor).
- Assuming 5hr production that's around 30kwh per day generated or about 15 kilometers per day after discounting for house loads or about 30kilometers if you travel every other day (if you have access to shore power, range of up to 50 kilometers per day is reasonable). Distances on the UK canal system are pretty small so, those are fairly reasonable.
- Lots of power available for house loads, if you don't move much, solar powered air/con is a viable option.
- They didn't maximize the solar capability using only around half the available space, so more power is very much viable and if you want deck space a simple folding mechanism would allow the solar panels to be raised as an outdoor shelter until you come to a bridge.

Honestly, they don't even appear to have pushed the power generation/propulsion technology end of things. It looks more like they were looking at residential canal living as the primary goal and propulsion as a secondary issue.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by RaymondR

From a practicality viewpoint.

How does one achieve the flexibility of the liquid fuel systems where range extension is merely a matter of a couple of cheap jerry cans of fuel on the side deck with an electric drive system?

Small backup generator.

[stevegerber]

>> not sure about the 18ton concrete floor though.

Yeah, I too thought the massive concrete floor was not such a great idea. Seems like you'd want to minimize weight in order to get the best possible performance out of the electric propulsion system. I posted a comment below the corresponding YouTube video questioning them about this. Hopefully they will explain their reasoning behind that decision. Perhaps they value stabilization over efficient mobility for their intended use?

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by stevegerber

>> not sure about the 18ton concrete floor though.

Yeah, I too thought the massive concrete floor was not such a great idea. Seems like you'd want to minimize weight in order to get the best possible performance out of the electric propulsion system. I posted a comment below the corresponding YouTube video questioning them about this. Hopefully they will explain their reasoning behind that decision. Perhaps they value stabilization over efficient mobility for their intended use?

My impression is they are marketing towards a stationary home on the water scenario. If you can get an approved site, you can park permanently and live on a canal.

In that case, a heated 18ton concrete floor might help keep temperatures more even.

If you only rarely move the boat, the electric propulsion system doesn't have to be that great.