Trump Makes The Wind Power Case For The Global Shipping Industry

---

Support CleanTechnica's work through a Substack subscription or on Stripe.

---

With the launch of his war against Iran, US President Donald has made the case for locally produced wind power stronger than it already is. Stakeholders in the hard sail industry also stand to benefit from Trump and his war, helping to push fossil fuel out of the shipping business. That’s quite an accomplishment for a guy known for his obsessive hatred of wind turbines, but such is the world we live in today.

Hard Sails And Wind Power

“Hard sails” is a catch-all for new shipboard systems that capture wind energy for propulsion. Also referred to as rigid sails, some of these devices don’t resemble sails in the traditional meaning of the word, but the result is the same: more zero emission energy for cargo ships, and less fossil fuels.

Hard sails began surfacing on the CleanTechnica radar in the early 2000s. Widespread commercial adoption has been slow on the uptake as the technology evolves, but signs of acceleration have begun to emerge.

Among the latest developments, on March 19 the UK startup GT Wings has just announced a partnership with the Chinese firm Zunsion Technology, for volume production of its AirWing™ Jet Sail wind propulsion system.

GT Wings describes Jet Sail as a new contribution to the hard sail field, featuring a performance improvement that involves drawing air in and blowing it out over the sail. AirWing is the first iteration of the technology, presumably to be followed by other versions as the market develops.

Zunsion is lending its automated manufacturing to the effort. If all goes according to plan, the partners will scale up to 250 units per year, complementing GT Wings’ existing supply chain in Europe.

“With a large proportion of the world’s commercial vessels constructed and serviced in Asia, expanding manufacturing capacity close to major shipbuilding and drydocking hubs is critical in supporting large-scale deployment,” GT Wings observes.

The Jet Sail Difference

GT Wings (formerly Green Energy Technologies) introduced the AirWing in 2023 as a space-saving solution, aiming to provide itself with an edge in the hard sail field among cargo ships with limited deck space.

Positioned near the bow of a ship, the AirWing system creates thrust by manipulating airflow. When a ship is in port, the device can be rotated out of the way, enabling full access to cargo bays for loading and offloading.

GT Wings affirms a fuel savings of 5-30% for the AirWing, depending on wind, route, weather, and other factors. Because conditions can vary so widely, the company offers to conduct feasibility studies on an individual basis, free of charge.

Even where conditions are not ideal, the EU regulatory framework can motivate uptake of the system. “Ships can’t generate thrust from wind propulsion when there’s no wind or when sailing directly into it. However, the systems still qualify for FuelEU Maritime rewards, even when not actively in use,” GT Wings notes.

“Wind-assisted propulsion supports compliance with EEDI, EEXI, and CII today, and is also expected to count toward the IMO’s mid-term measures from 2027, including a GHG Fuel Standard and carbon pricing,” the company adds.

“Non-compliant ships may face steep penalties or be forced to buy Remedial Units priced at $100–$380 per tonne of CO₂e,” they add again for good measure.

Rotor Sails Are On The Move

The maritime wind power field also includes rotor sails, which harness the same principles that make a curveball curve. A leading stakeholder in that area is the Finnish firm Norsepower. The company has developed a cylindrical rotor sail that resembles a tall smokestack. The sail is engineered to fold down horizontally when passing under bridges and other obstructions.

Norsepower first surfaced on the CleanTechnica radar back in 2017. The company has been very busy since then. Earlier this week,  Norsepower announced the launch of its new, third-generation rotor sail, the “Norsepower Wind Edge™.”

“Building on more than a decade of operational experience across commercial fleets, the new generation of Norsepower Rotor Sail™ integrates major advances in aerodynamic performance, digital optimisation and structural design,” Norsepower explains.

“The result is a rotor sail system designed with a single objective: to deliver stronger business cases for shipowners by maximising fuel savings, improving operational performance and reducing lifecycle costs,” they add, while also taking note of a reduction in manufacturing costs.

As described by Norsepower, the Wind Edge achieves an aerodynamic performance improvement of 10–20%, with a consequent reduction in fuel consumption.

The company also draws attention to its “Norsepower Sentient Control™” system. “By analysing the relationship between wind conditions, rotor speed, propulsion forces and fuel consumption, the system continuously adjusts sail operation to maximise energy savings,” the company states.

Norsepower calculates that the system can improve operational performance yield by up to 20%, compared to conventional wind power controls. “Unlike traditional wind propulsion control systems that rely primarily on wind measurements, NPSC™ incorporates additional performance signals and real-world feedback from the vessel, enabling holistic optimisation of aerodynamic and hydrodynamic performance,” the company elaborates.

Next Steps For Wind Power On The Seven Seas

Wind power is also making a comeback in a more traditional-looking form, with sail-equipped trimarans from the French firm VELA being one example. The company aims to compete with larger cargo ships on time and cost for the Atlantic crossing between France and the US, by taking advantage of smaller port facilities closer to next-mile transport. The company’s first scaled-up vessel will be setting sail sometime next year.

Another variation on the wind power theme is a kite-style sail. The idea of outfitting full sized cargo ships with a kite has been picked up and dropped by a number of firms over the past 15 years, but keep an eye on the German startup CargoKite for a more holistic approach that focuses on smaller, purpose-built vessels.

Compared to deck-attached wind propulsion systems, a kite sail hovers at higher altitudes to take advantage of stronger winds. “We don’t merely put a kite on a ship, we are designing a new type of ship around the wind,” explains CargoKite COO and co-founder Tim Linnenweber.

“A kite-based propulsion system and a newly developed ship and our intelligent control software make it possible to power our highly automated cargo vessels for the short sea and feeder market primarily by wind.”

As for cutting maritime fuel emissions more generally, electrification and alternative fuels are also in play. Sophisticated new route planning tools can make a difference, too. That’s not a priority for President Trump, of course, but the rest of the world is moving on.

Image: Wind power for cargo ships is coming back and scaling up, as demonstrated by a new partnership between the UK wind propulsion startup GT Wings and the Chinese manufacturer Zunsion Technology (courtesy of GT Wings).