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10-22-2009, 03:09 PM
The US Navy's second largest ship, the USS Makin island, is the newest member of its fleet, and the greenest.
The Makin Island is an amphibious assault ship, capable of carrying thousands of Marines, weapons, ordinance, and gear. She features an electric motor and saves about 50% on fossil fuel, as compared to previous ships of similar size, range and capability.
http://www.lhd8commissioning.com/images/LHD8/081208%20Builders%20Trials.jpg
Caption: The USS Makin Island
Source: lhd8commissioning.com
In its 2,000 mile maiden voyage, the USS Makin Island saved about 1,000,000 (one Million) gallons of fuel, saving them roughly $2,000,000 (two million dollars). A legacy fuel ship would make that journey using roughly 2 Million gallons of fuel.
The Navy plans on using this hybrid technology in its next generation of Destroy ships, and possibly extending it to other ships that loiter off shore. Keeping the ship in a slow moving state while offshore, lets the ship run more on its electric motor and therefore cuts down on long-term missions as well.
In fact, the USS Makin Island can even go an extra two months without refueling, a vital edge other ships can simply do not have.
The plan is to reduce the Navy's current daily consumption of about 100,000 gallons of fuel, by 50% (fifty percent) over the next decade.
Source:
http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/oct/22/navy-plans-massive-cuts-fossil-fuel-use/?metro&zIndex=186943 - Navy plans massive cuts in fossil fuel use, by Steve Liewer, Union-Tribe staff writer, October 22, 2009
Related: http://digg.com/environment/Navy_plans_massive_cuts_in_fossil_fuel_use_SignOnS anDiego - Digg link to US Navy going green
The Makin Island is an amphibious assault ship, capable of carrying thousands of Marines, weapons, ordinance, and gear. She features an electric motor and saves about 50% on fossil fuel, as compared to previous ships of similar size, range and capability.
http://www.lhd8commissioning.com/images/LHD8/081208%20Builders%20Trials.jpg
Caption: The USS Makin Island
Source: lhd8commissioning.com
In its 2,000 mile maiden voyage, the USS Makin Island saved about 1,000,000 (one Million) gallons of fuel, saving them roughly $2,000,000 (two million dollars). A legacy fuel ship would make that journey using roughly 2 Million gallons of fuel.
The Navy plans on using this hybrid technology in its next generation of Destroy ships, and possibly extending it to other ships that loiter off shore. Keeping the ship in a slow moving state while offshore, lets the ship run more on its electric motor and therefore cuts down on long-term missions as well.
In fact, the USS Makin Island can even go an extra two months without refueling, a vital edge other ships can simply do not have.
The plan is to reduce the Navy's current daily consumption of about 100,000 gallons of fuel, by 50% (fifty percent) over the next decade.
Source:
http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/oct/22/navy-plans-massive-cuts-fossil-fuel-use/?metro&zIndex=186943 - Navy plans massive cuts in fossil fuel use, by Steve Liewer, Union-Tribe staff writer, October 22, 2009
Related: http://digg.com/environment/Navy_plans_massive_cuts_in_fossil_fuel_use_SignOnS anDiego - Digg link to US Navy going green