Cloud Ships

It may sound like a fantasy idea but the concept of producing clouds to combat global warming is a potential solution to the increasing global temperatures we all face. Research done in the mid 2000's showed that a fleet of ships that can produce clouds could act as an effective tool to combat increasing temperatures caused by the excess CO2 produced by human activity.

The ships are called Flettner vessels, after their designer Anton Flettner. The ships in question consist of a single hull with three rotor stacks on top, like funnels. The stacks have fins on them and are rotated by the motion of the wind. The stacks are hollow and so draw water up themselves when rotated. The water forms a spray / mist and the aerosol formed rises into the atmosphere, increasing the concentration of water in the atmosphere and increasing the likelihood of clouds forming. It's an ingenious idea but the cost $5.3 Bn is too rich for anyone's blood at the moment as this project hasn't seen any progress since 2009.

The main inhibitor to the production of these vessels is cost. The huge cost is too much for even the richest countries. It's a good concept though, built on sound engineering principles. I'd like to see some progress and the project taken forward but it's the stuff of dreams, cloud seeding ships sailing the seas on autopilot.

Read more at : http://www.zdnet.com/blog/emergingtech/1500-ships-to-fight-climate-change/1030

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