In San Francisco two 600-passenger trimarans will be built to transport people. The end the result will average 7 million between the two. Each ferry will run on as much on sun and wind power as they do diesel fuel, which will save good money in the long run. The first vessel is supposed to be launch in 2008, while the second should come out in 2011…
The slickest feature? The triple-hulled vessel will have a 45-foot high retractable wing covered in solar panels that can generate 20 kilowatts of electricity to help take the load off the two diesel engines. 
The wing also generates some 170 hp on its own as a sail. When conditions get hairy and the wind hits 30+ knots (that’s when many sailboats start to de-mast), the wings fold up, all beetle-like, and the ferry operates like one of its older counterparts All this is based on a similar ferry that’s already been in operation in Sydney for a couple years.
via [waterlog]
