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Boat Concept Produces More Energy than it Uses

Original Source: http://www.treehugger.com
Author: Stephen Messenger
Original Publication Date: February 7, 2010

Last year, we told you about Vincent Callebaut’s amazing 128-floor vertical farm concept to green the New York City skyline. Now, he’s moved his eco-friendly designs to the waterways with the Physalia–a floating garden transport vessel that not only produces enough energy to sustain itself, but generates a bit to spare. In addition to being carbon-neutral, the boat is also be capable of purifying its own water and growing its own vegetables, all while educating its passengers on sustainability. Ship ahoy!

The Physalia, which is named after a species of jellyfish, is as forward-thinking in itseco-friendly features as it is in its design, boasting many of the same self-sustaining features as the creator’s other green concept, the Dragonfly building. Not only is the vessel designed to carry passengers through European waterways, it will be a virtual botanical garden as well with its rooftop garden.

The roof is made up of double membrane photovoltaic solar cells to absorb solar energy to propel the ship. When the Physalia is anchored, it captures energy from the flowing river with special hyrdo-turbines–essentially transforming the vessel into apower plant.

The boat is made of steel with a skin of aluminum and titanium dioxide. Ultraviolet light acts as a photo-catalyst with the metal which can purify water of polluting substances within the waterway–like the carbon produced by conventional vessels in the river.

Sadly, there are no plans yet in the works to start producing the Physalia, though if it can truly deliver on the self-sustaining innovations promised by its design, there would be no more worthy project to begin. From the deck of such an environmentally friendly boat, who knows what other great ideas could be seen on the horizon?

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