Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Norwegian Company Plans To Power Their Cruise Ships With Dead Fish (theguardian.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the green-energy dept.

An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Guardian: Waste fish parts will be used to power ships in a new initiative to use green energy for polluting cruise liners. The leftovers of fish processed for food and mixed with other organic waste will be used to generate biogas, which will then be liquefied and used in place of fossil fuels by the expedition cruise line Hurtigruten. Hurtigruten operates a fleet of 17 ships, and by 2021 aims to have converted at least six of its vessels to use biogas, liquefied natural gas -- a fossil fuel, but cleaner than many alternatives -- and large battery packs, capable of storing energy produced from renewable sources. Biogas can be generated from most forms of organic waste by speeding up and harnessing the natural decomposition process to capture the methane produced. Organic waste is produced by all food industries but is frequently disposed of in landfill, where it contributes to greenhouse gas emissions as it decomposes. Hurtigruten is currently building three new hybrid-powered cruise ships in Norway, to be delivered in the next three years.

58 of 103 comments (clear)

  1. Was it just me, or... by BitterOak · · Score: 4, Funny

    Was it just me, or did anyone else, when first reading this, say "What's a bioga?"

    --
    If I can be modded down for being a troll, can I be modded up for being an orc, or a balrog?
    1. Re:Was it just me, or... by BitterOak · · Score: 3, Funny

      "Bioga" is to Lutefisk as "Calamari" is to Squid. Finally, someone found a use for lutefisk....

      Well if you feed people lutefisk, they will produce TONS of biogas!

      --
      If I can be modded down for being a troll, can I be modded up for being an orc, or a balrog?
    2. Re:Was it just me, or... by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 1

      Wasn’t that a Raffi song - “baby bioga”?

      --
      #DeleteChrome
    3. Re:Was it just me, or... by stealth_finger · · Score: 1

      Was it just me, or did anyone else, when first reading this, say "What's a bioga?"

      Isn't that the guy from the new star wars?

      --
      Wanna buy a shirt?
      https://www.redbubble.com/people/stealthfinger/shop?asc=u
    4. Re:Was it just me, or... by glenebob · · Score: 1

      Not "what's a bioga", but "what are bioga". Bioga is plural for a number of individual biog. Biogs is singular for a [semi-]autonomous group or community of biog. It is OK to ask "what are bioga", but be careful with such terminology as "what's the matter with you biogs", or "I'm on the prowl for some biog ass."

  2. Hm by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Seems like live fish could tow better

    1. Re:Hm by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Yeah but getting the little harnesses on them would be difficult.

    2. Re:Hm by MrL0G1C · · Score: 1

      Nah, that's the easy bit, getting them to swim in the right direction would be difficult.

      --
      Waterfox - a Firefox fork with legacy extension support, security updates and better privacy by default.
  3. Does this have any possiblity of working? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Argh. Can somebody do the math of this? How much energy does it take to to power this vessel? How much energy can be produced per unit of time? How much energy to recovery the fish? What's the energy efficiency of recovery of energy?

    Normally I'd do a Fermi problem, but it doesn't even seem worth it. PURE PROTEIN has an energy density of protein is a little under 17 MJ/kg. Energy density of diesel is 48 MJ/kg. Looks like a fermentation process in involved, so the protein energy to about 8 MJ/kg.

    Meanwhile wood and coal have about the energy density of pure protein.

    Given that we don't make much use of wood and coal anymore (entirely biochemical processes, so therefore "green", supposedly) I call BS on this. This is a lie constructed for PR purposes to get the dumb gullible "media" that can't figure out the Skripal story in the UK is horse manure, to give out free coverage.

    1. Re:Does this have any possiblity of working? by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · · Score: 4, Informative

      It doesn't say which of their ships is being converted, so it's hard to say how much energy is required; but I think the important point is that the biogas is being produced, liquified, then used as fuel.

      It's not an onboard fish-guts-to-power arrangement; it's a ship converted to run on liquefied natural gas which is provided ready for use at the dock; at least some of which is supposed to be sourced from organic waste decomposition.

      That's vastly easier and more plausible. LNG is somewhat less dense than diesel; and requires more care in storage; but it's a perfectly viable fuel; and production of methane from organic waste is going to be easier and cheaper when you don't need something you can fit into a ship while leaving room for cargo and passengers. Landfills do it automatically when left to their own devices(though it's often not captured in these cases), there may be some arrangement that is preferred when methane, rather than waste disposal, is the goal.

      None of this is to say that they'll actually end up carefully accounting for how much LNG they burn and ensuring it is all sourced from organic fish heads rather than ordinary natural gas; but even if they cheat on that it'll be much nicer than bunker fuel.

    2. Re:Does this have any possiblity of working? by MrKaos · · Score: 1

      It's not an onboard fish-guts-to-power arrangement;

      You just ruined the plot of a futuristic eco-horror where the passengers kept going missing and no one ever arrived at their destination.

      --
      My ism, it's full of beliefs.
    3. Re:Does this have any possiblity of working? by LostMyAccount · · Score: 1

      I'd wager that on modern diesel-electric ships with electric azimuth thrusters that LNG is the ideal fuel. The prime mover is basically a medium sized electric power plant that provides both power for the drives and the shipboard electrical consumption, and I'd wager they're using gas turbines which can then be spun at optimum efficiency.

    4. Re:Does this have any possiblity of working? by DickBreath · · Score: 1

      Why use dead fish instead of "clean coal"?

      If dead fish would actually work, then how about the president sign an executive order mandating that NASA's SLS be powered by dead fish?

      --

      I'll see your senator, and I'll raise you two judges.
    5. Re:Does this have any possiblity of working? by e3m4n · · Score: 1

      that was my reaction too. The article headline made it out to sound as if the ship was running directly on fish waste, which would smell to high hell. By the time I finished the article I realized its no different than any other biofuel. Of course those same fish guts and fish heads used to get dumped into the ocean to quickly get consumed by the ocean ecosystem. If this were to expand in a much bigger capacity we would see a decline in ocean life populations since we arent returning some of the food stock back to the ocean.

  4. Re: Sir, Most of your post, by wolfheart111 · · Score: 1

    make little to no sense. Honestly Not trying to bully you. :) ok.

    --
    [($)]
  5. Better to use the dead fish as fertilizer by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Instead of powering Norsk cruise ships to carry around the One Percent, wouldn't it be better to use those dead fish as fertilizer to grow food to feed the other Ninety Nine Percent?

    1. Re:Better to use the dead fish as fertilizer by ClickOnThis · · Score: 1

      Instead of powering Norsk cruise ships to carry around the One Percent, wouldn't it be better to use those dead fish as fertilizer to grow food to feed the other Ninety Nine Percent?

      Excellent question. I wonder if the decommissioned material could still be used as fertilizer. That might be a win-win.

      --
      If it weren't for deadlines, nothing would be late.
    2. Re:Better to use the dead fish as fertilizer by Misagon · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Hurtigrutten is not only a luxury cruise line. It is a major means of long-range transport for a long stretch of northern Norway, which consists mostly of a jagged mountainous coastline. It is the most dependable large-scale transport for many communities, carrying both cargo and people to places where planes, trains and trucks don't go.

      The dead fish is probably waste products from Norway's large fishing and fish farming industry. If you have ever eaten farmed salmon, it was probably from Norway.

      The world does not have a fertiliser deficiency. It has a problem of fertiliser distribution.
      Too much dung from meat production farms being dumped into the environment -- emitting greenhouse gases and getting into waterways killing the seas.

      --
      "We mustn't be caught by surprise by our own advancing technology" -- Aldous Huxley
    3. Re:Better to use the dead fish as fertilizer by MrKaos · · Score: 1

      Instead of powering Norsk cruise ships to carry around the One Percent, wouldn't it be better to use those dead fish as fertilizer to grow food to feed the other Ninety Nine Percent?

      Just move the 99% into the 1% and we can all be the 1%.

      --
      My ism, it's full of beliefs.
    4. Re: Better to use the dead fish as fertilizer by MrKaos · · Score: 1

      The 99% is now useless and its prolonged existence is a burden to the ecosystem.

      Not if we recycle them as biogas for ships. We could use humans to heat our homes.

      --
      My ism, it's full of beliefs.
    5. Re:Better to use the dead fish as fertilizer by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      Calling it the "One Percent" just shows you've never been on a luxury cruise. It's by-n-large a cheap all expenses and cares paid for holiday when compared to actually travelling to multiple destinations, lodging and meals.

      We do it quite frequently. We're not the One Percent. Hell I think I'm barely scraping the 60th percentile.

    6. Re:Better to use the dead fish as fertilizer by pgmrdlm · · Score: 1

      You REALLY think people that take cruises are all in the 1 percent. You really are a fucking idiot.

      --
      Anonymous comments are as pathetic as the anonymous "sources" that contaminate gutless journalism from the New York Time
    7. Re:Better to use the dead fish as fertilizer by jittles · · Score: 1

      The dead fish is probably waste products from Norway's large fishing and fish farming industry.

      What? All this time I was imagining a room full of aspiring chemists performing stoichiometry calculations. I tried to Google an example but apparently only my chemistry teacher has ever called them dead fish calculations. Oh well.

    8. Re: Better to use the dead fish as fertilizer by DickBreath · · Score: 1

      No. The 1% must die. The planet's resources are hoarded by a few.

      --

      I'll see your senator, and I'll raise you two judges.
    9. Re:Better to use the dead fish as fertilizer by Stonent1 · · Score: 1

      Or you could just use the dead fish as SlashBait.

    10. Re:Better to use the dead fish as fertilizer by smooth+wombat · · Score: 2

      wouldn't it be better to use those dead fish as fertilizer to grow food to feed the other Ninety Nine Percent?

      No. We already have enough food to comfortably feed everyone. The issue is getting the food to the people.

      Also, no. It wouldn't be better because we already have too many people on the planet. If we could reduce the population by at least one quarter, that would go along way to your first issue.

      --
      We will bankrupt ourselves in the vain search for absolute security. -- Dwight D. Eisenhower
    11. Re:Better to use the dead fish as fertilizer by e3m4n · · Score: 1

      only a few things would consume dung. Fish heads and fish guts, however, would get eaten very quickly by a lot of ocean wildlife. I think of it much more as a food source than fertilizer. Its fertilizer only in the sense that it boosts a decent population growth of ocean animals. Small pieces of dead fish are a great bait for bigger fish.

    12. Re:Better to use the dead fish as fertilizer by MrKaos · · Score: 1

      Instead of powering Norsk cruise ships to carry around the One Percent, wouldn't it be better to use those dead fish as fertilizer to grow food to feed the other Ninety Nine Percent?

      Just move the 99% into the 1% and we can all be the 1%.

      You should run for Congress.

      That's the point I was making.

      You'd probably win in just about any blue district.

      I would win red or blue.

      --
      My ism, it's full of beliefs.
  6. Re:Alt.question by Provocateur · · Score: 1

    What do you call the crew finding the stash of sardines near the galley of a Norwegian cruise ship?

    --
    WARNING: Smartphones have side effects--most of them undocumented.
  7. Re:They should hire me by ClickOnThis · · Score: 1

    I produce copious amounts of Biogas.

    My dear friend, there is help.

    No, really.

    --
    If it weren't for deadlines, nothing would be late.
  8. Not modern landfills... by negRo_slim · · Score: 2

    Modern landfills are constructed in such a way to prevent things from decomposing. As that leads to all sorts of problems and can end up polluting the area and ground water. https://science.howstuffworks....

    --
    On the Oregon Cost born and raised, On the beach is where I spent most of my days
    1. Re:Not modern landfills... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      Actually no, MODERN landfills harvest the methane themselves to similar effect as the fish guts. That process inherently requires decomposition and is usually shielded properly from groundwater issues entirely. YMMV red states.

    2. Re:Not modern landfills... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Right on; Our Short Mountain Landfill (Lane County OR.) has gas collection and a small power plant. Leachate is a problem, but is collected and processed thru the local sewage treatment plant.

    3. Re:Not modern landfills... by Shotgun · · Score: 1

      Leachate isn't a problem in modern landfills. Leachate is PUMPED IN after being laced with enzymes that speed the decomposition. The biggest complaint from landfills nowadays is that there isn't enough organic material in the landfill, because the power generated has contributed to their budgets.

      --
      Aah, change is good. -- Rafiki
      Yeah, but it ain't easy. -- Simba
  9. So they finally wised up? by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 1

    They’re gonna stop eating that abomination known as “lutefisk” and instead power their ships with it?

    --
    #DeleteChrome
  10. Obligatory farewell as the ship leaves port: by rwyoder · · Score: 2

    So long and thanks for all the fish!

  11. Re:question by quenda · · Score: 1

    I remember when it used to be conservatives who stereo-typically had no sense of humour and got offended easily.

  12. Really? Cool! by grep+-v+'.*'+* · · Score: 1

    It's a Ramjet for fish -- if you do it right.

    See? Science Fiction dreams DO come true! (Well, it's a start.)

    --
    If the universe is someone's simulation -- does that mean the stars are just stuck pixels?
  13. Powered by dead fish? by h33t+l4x0r · · Score: 1

    Big deal. So is my cat.

  14. As chicken is to chicken by raymorris · · Score: 1

    For those not into seafood, as chicken is to - uhm never mind.

    As pork is to pig.

  15. The reason by Tablizer · · Score: 2

    When asked why, the Captain replied, "Oh, we just did it for the halibut."

    --
    Table-ized A.I.
  16. Guessing those will be by future+assassin · · Score: 1

    Vegan less ships?

    --
    by TheSpoom (715771) Uncaring Linux user here. I have nothing to add to this but please continue. *munches popcorn*
  17. Horizon Zero Dawn had those, didnt end well by citizenr · · Score: 1

    Faros Chariot line consumed biomass for fuel, outcome was less than favorable.
    http://horizonzerodawn.wikia.c... :

    "Apparently a fisherman in the Banda Sea captured video of a Hartz-Timor Horus unit refueling via biomatter conversion along the shoreline of Pulau Wetar. On a pod of endangered dolphins, no less, quite possibly the last of their kind. Not to get graphic, but it looks like what happens inside a blender, as if the robot was whipping up a big pink swirling milkshake of dolphin chum."

    --
    Who logs in to gdm? Not I, said the duck.
  18. As opposed to Disney Cruises by orbit500 · · Score: 1

    which already use dead souls. Still, made me wonder if they tried live fish first. L

  19. Re:question by quenda · · Score: 1

    "stereo-typically"

    What's with the hyphen?

    I think I did it without thinking, to make the red squiggly line go away. Stoopid spellchecker.

  20. Cut out the middle-man by Dunbal · · Score: 1

    The two main repeating themes of cruise liners are fire and diarrhea. Surely someone should be able to figure out how to extract work from either (or both) of these phenomena and power the ships directly?

    --
    Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
  21. In case of emergency... by OneSizeFitsNoone · · Score: 1

    In case of need I suppose it will be III class passenger's turn to be sacrificed for a higher good, the salvation of higher class passengers.

  22. Re:question by Applehu+Akbar · · Score: 2

    What are "raunch" jokes? Is it like a salad dressing, perhaps?

    Raunch dressing is the one with the fishy flavor, of course.

  23. That's Nothing... by lobiusmoop · · Score: 1

    I heard there's a Hungarian company that will power hovercraft with eels.

    --
    "I bless every day that I continue to live, for every day is pure profit."
  24. Horrible! by sad_ · · Score: 1

    I only want vegan electricity!

    https://www.ecotricity.co.uk/o...

    --
    On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero.
    1. Re:Horrible! by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 1

      +1

      --
      #DeleteFacebook
  25. Clickbaity headline by Misagon · · Score: 1

    Gas made from food waste had been around in Scandinavia for some years now. It has powered mostly road vehicles: lorries and busses.
    What may be somewhat novel is that it is being used to power a cruise ship.

    And it does of course not need to be made from fish. Many types of organic material will do. It is just that food waste is widely available and people are willing to get it collected, they may even pay you for it.

    --
    "We mustn't be caught by surprise by our own advancing technology" -- Aldous Huxley
  26. So "progressives" are uptight stick-in-the-muds? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    So now Republicans are the party of dirty jokes and sex, while "progressives" are easily-offended, uptight, stick-in-the-mud busybodies hell bent on telling other people how to live their private lives?

    Guess I know who I'm voting for - I sure as hell don't need an emotional child telling me what I should be offended by.

  27. Re:So cruise passengers waste awful lot of food? by DickBreath · · Score: 1

    Could this same principle be adapted to power SpaceX's BFR?

    --

    I'll see your senator, and I'll raise you two judges.
  28. Re:I am not an animal rights activist by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 1

    Don't worry, it's fish by-products and waste from the food industry!

    Although as a vegan, I find that as sick as directly using fish as cruise ship fuel.

    --
    #DeleteFacebook
  29. Re:question by Marxist+Hacker+42 · · Score: 1

    That is truly sad. I must be as old as you are.

    In other news, since when is using current waste products to generate biogas described as "fossil" in any way, shape, or form?

    --
    SJW: a person who perceives an injustice, and while correcting it, commits a greater injustice.
  30. Re:question by Marxist+Hacker+42 · · Score: 1

    So, fish sauce?

    --
    SJW: a person who perceives an injustice, and while correcting it, commits a greater injustice.
  31. Nitrogen by manu0601 · · Score: 1

    Dead fish will also release nitrogen, where will that go? It is a usual pollution source from big farming.