A cleantech solution to collecting ocean data

Wind and solar powered autonomous boats providing real time information to protect our oceans.

Our oceans are full of information. Information that can protect at-risk whale species, allow ships to voyage more fuel-efficient routes, crack down on illegal fishing, and enable us to better understand the impacts of climate change. Our boats are equipped with sensors, cameras and communication devices so that we can capture information from anywhere on the ocean and have instant access to it. Harvesting energy from the sun and the wind, our boats travel nonstop for months, without producing any greenhouse gas emissions, noise pollution or risk of oil spills. They are an essential component to creating a digital ocean, an Internet of Things for the sea, where we finally begin to understand some of the most mysterious regions of our planet.

Our Technology

Force12 Xplorer

Force 12 Xplorer, our autonomous sailboat, uses our proprietary dual rigid wingsail design. The wingsails are robust, reliable, and maximize the points of sail – the wind direction in which the boat makes progress. The hull and keel design offer optimal stability and self-righting capabilities, so that it can endure the most severe weather conditions, including hurricanes. But it also travels well in light winds, providing superior control and excellent speeds.

It’s propelled entirely by wind, while the solar panel provides power for the sensors, communication devices, processor and rudder actuator. The vessel can navigate completely autonomously, or be controlled remotely using satellite telemetry.

Solar Xplorer

Solar Xplorer is our solar powered autonomous boat. This full-sized prototype (without solar deck) has demonstrated it will be the world’s fastest offshore-capable energy harvesting boat. Carrying 1200 watts of solar panels and lithium ion batteries, the boat will be able to average 4+ knots, day and night, with shorter-term speeds almost double that.

Until now, no one has managed to use solar to adequately power an autonomous boat. The challenge is creating a seaworthy vessel with a sufficiently sized solar array. A monohull doesn’t have enough deck space. Multihulls do, however, it is extremely challenging to make self-righting, essential for an offshore vessel. We’ve overcome this challenge by creating a patented self-righting system for autonomous multi-hull boats, finally allowing the creation of a solar powered autonomous boat for the commercial market.

How We Will Make a Difference

IMPROVE SHIP FUEL EFFICIENCY

Boats produce 1000 megaton of greenhouse gas emissions every year, more than all of Canada emits.

By helping ships plot more fuel-efficient routes using real-time information on ocean conditions, ships can conserve fuel and reduce emissions.

REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS

Taking one offshore research vessel off the ocean for a week is like taking 100 cars off the road for a year.

Our boats can replace or augment vessels that use sensors or cameras to observe, protect and understand the ocean, reducing the need for traditional fuel consuming vessels.

CRACK DOWN ON ILLEGAL FISHING

Illegal fishing accounts for 20% of all wild fish caught, earning poachers $30 billion a year.

Our boats can patrol the ocean, safeguard Marine Protected Areas and facilitate the capture of illegally operating vessels.

DETECT AND CLEAN UP OIL SPILLS

700 million litres of oil enters the ocean every year through boat spills, leaks and intentional discharges.

Our boats can monitor for oil spills, detect intentional dumping and aid in the clean up effort.

UNDERSTAND CLIMATE CHANGE

Oceans bear the brunt of climate change, causing acidification, sea level increases, and changes in temperature and currents, which impacts the health of marine species, ecosystems, and our coastal communities.

Our boats can measure the changes in our ocean so we can better understand how we can respond.

SAFEGUARD THE ARCTIC

Melting Arctic sea ice has tripled traffic in the north over the last 25 years yet only 1 per cent of the Canadian Arctic is charted to modern standards.

We can provide a cost-effective method to map the Arctic to reduce the risks of ships running aground and observation in remote regions to expedite response time.