Sanyo joins the R &D team of Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Co., Ltd to develop a hybrid system combining solar power generation technology with lithium ion batteries for vessels targeting at zero CO2 emission. The concept ship will have solar panels with maximum capacity of 200kW and lithium ion batteries, that will have max output at 3,000kW/h and will store the energy from the solar panels. While the vessel is in berth, the batteries will supply power allowing the diesel generator to shut down.

The hybrid car carrier is scheduled to be completed by 2012 and is already included in Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s “Project to Develop Technologies for Reduction of CO2 Emissions from New ships.”