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Sauter Carbon Proposes “Green” Alternative to Sentinel Class Fast Response Cutter

Sauter Carbon Proposes “Green” Alternative to Sentinel Class Fast Response Cutter

Mike Schuler
Total Views: 24
May 4, 2012

Sauter Carbon Offset Design (SCOD) says they have come up with an alternative design for the USCG’s new Sentinel Class Fast Response Cutters (FRC) that could potentially cut fuel consumption in half while at the same time increase cruising speed by up to 10% through solar power and a catamaran hull form.

The design was submitted through the USCG’s Unsolicited Proposal Program that allows companies or individuals to submit ideas for products or services that may be of interest to the Coast Guard.

SCOD says that the E-Class Search and Rescue Sea Eagle, as the design is called, uses half as much fuel to go 10% faster than the USCG Sentinel Class Fast Response Cutters’ currently in use and under construction.  In addition to the fuel savings and increased speed, the Sea Eagle will be equipped with a waterjet propulsion system, dynamic positioning, and “small wave making” technology to minimize harm to the marine ecology.

Instead of the Sentinels tier 2 diesel engines that generate 11,500hp, the Sea Eagle will generate a total of 5,000hp through a Solar Hybrid propulsion package that includes cleaner MTU Tier 4i diesels.  With less than half the fuel consumption of the Sentinel Class FRC’s, the catamaran Sea Eagle’s greater overall efficiency delivers a maximum speed of 32 knots, as opposed to 29 knots.

In “silent electric mode”, SCOD says the SEA Eagle can navigate inland water ways and dock with zero emissions. Plugged in, her solar cells can harness and return over 200 MWs of energy to the grid per year, enough power to offset 3,000 nautical miles of Carbon Neutral cruising at 18 knots. As a Certified Carbon Offset Project, SCOD says the SEA Eagle can reduce GHG emissions by as much as 12,000 tons per year.

Energy from the grid or captured from her 100KW solar array is stored in a Lloyds approved Corvus 2MW Lithium UPS and the 16 ton weight of the batteries also serves as the energy generating motion dampening system.  Combining this with the self leveling T-Foils in each hull greatly improves the ride, related safety aspects and the accuracy of the stabilized remotely operated 25 mm chain gun, and the four crew operated .50 caliber machine guns.

“Government Agencies like the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security while protecting us can also play a major roll in protecting our way of life for future generations,” says Richard Sauter, owner of SCOD. “They have the opportunity, if not a duty, to do this by insuring that only the best examples of fuel efficient Eco Conscious Vessels are to be found in our Coast Guard and Navy.

Considering the USCG has already called for the design and construction of up to 34 new “Sentinel Class” Fast Response Cutters (FRC) from Bollinger Shipyards in Lockport, LA, SCOD faces an uphill battle if they plan on getting the concept E Class Sea Eagle into production.

The first Sentinel Class was recently commissioned in Miami.

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