Who would have thought 4 years ago that Yara Birkeland was going to be a reality! Here are the keys to this electric freighter that also aims to be autonomous.
How much the electrical perspective has changed in the last five years! In the automotive sector, without a doubt, it is where it has been possible to verify a greater awareness in reference to automobiles based on batteries and electric motors. However, the truth is that still much to do. Let them tell the sea or air transport! Both options are major pollution factors.
It is important to deepen this in order to create a much more sustainable mobility. Yara International is a company that has focused on innovation in relation to heavy transport. At the beginning of Urban Tecno, we already showed you how an electric freighter prototype, still under a model, could be the subject of development. Now, almost 5 years later, it is a reality.
The Yara Birkleland is a freighter that excels in sustainable mobility
At that time, the main attraction of the Yara Birkeland, as it is called, was to have a purely electric model. Conceived and built in Norway, the aim of this proposal was carrying out freight transport through the fjords. The key, therefore, lay in having sufficiently effective autonomy to carry out their role.
Now, new needs developed over the years have led the company to go one step further. Can a freighter of these characteristics be completely autonomous? Would it be possible to automate trade routes without the need for a crew? Apparently this is just what work is currently underway on the Yara Birkeland.
Let’s see, therefore, almost five years later, what are the qualities of this product in question, how it is expected to carry out its work in the coming years and, of course, to what extent we are faced with a proposal that stands out for having a benchmark in sustainable mobility. Here are the keys to one of the most advanced projects of its time.
An electric freighter with differential performance
As can be read in the specialized portal Electrek, the route that separates the Norwegian cities of Herøya and Brevik It will be the one you make on this first trip. Of course, all eyes will be on its autonomous driving system, as it will be monitored from the ground by experts who have collaborated on the project.
The ship in question also has technology that stands out for having systems based on artificial intelligence. These will serve, mainly, to contribute to loading and unloading tasks. In such situations, the collaboration of operators will be required, but it is hoped that you can enjoy automated functions to avoid dangerous situations in full maneuvering.
The battery capacity of the Yara Birkeland is 7 MWh
Regarding the battery capacity of the Yara Birkeland, it is striking how it has a set of 7MWh batteries. Similarly, 2 900 kW electric motors are responsible for moving propellers located, as usual, at the rear. It is, therefore, a freighter that differs from other models in the arrangement of electrical technology.
Be that as it may, its maximum speed is about 24 km / h. It may seem insufficient, but it must be taken into account that on its surface it is capable of transporting up to a total of 60 standard size containers. This last point, however, serves to understand to what extent this technology has developed. It is a small alternative in relation to the transoceanic ones.
A proposal that stands out, above all, for the desire for change
It is a project that, most likely, will not guarantee a simple return on investment. After all, this type of work, most of the time, only serves to explain that it is possible to adapt to a certain change. If the other manufacturers do not take the necessary step, Yara International’s bet will be in vain.
Well, what is the true objective of the proposal carried out by this company? Without a doubt, the provision of this means of transport will avoid thousands of truck trips by road. At an economic level, it is possible that the effects cannot be seen in the short term. However, having this technology will improve the prospects for a more sustainable future.
We will still have to wait a while to find out what the true success of this proposal is. At the moment, it is speculated that a total of 40,000 trips will be saved of containers per road per year. Is it possible to account for the reduction of the carbon footprint? With simple operations you can obtain somewhat curious and hopeful data.