UM’s GeCheng Zha is designing giant wind-powered cylinders that would be mounted on the decks of cargo ships to provide wind propulsion, creating an alternative to diesel engines. “Wind-assisted propulsion is an efficient alternative to diesel engines. And … it’s environmentally friendly—an effective way to decarbonize the shipping industry that’s responsible for about 3 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.”
The cylinders could be lowered to allow the ship to pass beneath bridges and navigate in and out of ports. On some shipping routes, the cylinders could cut fuel consumption by as much as 50 percent. The nonrotating cylinders are expected to be a significant upgrade in efficiency over the few wind-assisted propulsion units currently in use.
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