The Power Of Wind: Interview With Bound4blue Founder
Shipowners and operators may be able to decrease their fuel-related costs and pollutant emissions up to 30%, thanks to a new system created by Bound4blue. The Spanish company aims at delivering automated wind-assisted propulsion systems (also called wingsails) that can be integrated onto a wide range of vessels. The Beam spoke with one of the founders, José Miguel Bermúdez.
Who are the people behind Bound4blue?
The project was founded by Cristina Aleixendri, David Ferrer, and me, José Miguel Bermúdez. The three of us are aeronautical engineers, which clearly served as the foundation of the technology developed. We found soft sails installed in sailing boats or yachts, but none in commercial vessels. We believed we could apply our knowledge in aeronautics to build a high-lift device for the shipping industry adapted to its requirements, that could be the solution to the two showstopper challenges they are facing: high fuel operating expenses and emissions reduction pressure from international entities.
We have been selected as one of Europe’s most promising innovators under 35 by MIT and featured amongst the 30 brightest industry European entrepreneurs under the age of 30 by Forbes. The design, manufacture, and launch of scientific capsules to the space, the construction of efficient wind towers, or the deployment of Geodetic Quality Sea-Ice drift buoys in the Arctic are some examples that precede our team and that mark a business and technological trajectory for Bound4blue.
The team is nowadays formed by 15 people, who combine several expertise in different fields of business and engineering, including aerospace engineering, naval architects, electronics engineering, statisticians and mechanical engineering.
How exactly do the automated wind assisted propulsion systems work? Can we talk about renewable energy in this case?
Bound4blue’s wingsail system generates effective thrust from wind power and thereby reduces the engine power required, saving fuel and pollutant emissions. For example, one of the latest cases we are working on is a Handysize (183-meter length) vessel, operating in the route Busan (South Korea) – Seattle (US). In this case, installing two 30-meter units of our system, we can save more than 940 tons of fuel per year, which represents more than 2,900 tons of CO2 savings per year, with an investment payback period of less than three years. Having successfully passed all the tests in the prototyping phase and being within the pilot phase, our systems are now being implemented on four ships.
So to sum up, of course we can talk about renewable energy in this case. The only source we are using in the overall process is the wind power, which is directly used to propel the ships with no intermediate energy conversion. In the end and from a conceptual point of view, it is the same process that humanity has been using for thousands of years, using the wind to navigate.
Image courtesy Bound4blue
What makes this technology innovative?
Bound4blue’s innovative technology is a creative application of an already existing one. Wind was once used centuries ago to propel vessels, so it is as simple as going back to the basics but using 21st century aeronautical technology. The solution was inside the industry from the very beginning, but we were able to take our aeronautical knowledge and build it on top of an ancient concept to create Bound4blue’s solution. The challenge we had to deal with was adapting this technology to commercial vessels and finding solutions to problems that are specific to those vessels.
Our technology is capable of providing double-digit fuel savings and emissions reduction with a payback below five years, it can be folded (useful for fleets with air-draft or operations limitations), it has extended operability thanks to the rotation capability and it works with a simple and fully autonomous operation, so no extra training or workload from the crew is required.
What can its impact on the shipping sector be? How can it help reduce emissions in the long term?
Maritime transport is a key industry for our society, transporting over 80% of the worldwide cargo. However, its pollutant emissions are a major environmental challenge. Maritime transport accounts for 3% of the global CO2 emissions, 15% of NO worldwide emissions and 13% of SO2 global emissions; it is having a direct impact on our planet in forms of global warming or acid rain, and being responsible of 14 million cases of childhood asthma each year and 60,000 cardiopulmonary and lung cancer deaths annually. In fact, maritime transport generates as much CO2 as the sixth most polluting country in the world, and the 16 largest vessels in the world generate the same amount of Sulphur emissions as the entire global fleet of cars.
Our technology reduces the emissions produced in the maritime transport of cargo and people by decreasing the use of fossil fuel with the same level of energy used by the ship. According to the Impact Forecast Analysis we carried out using the Climate Impact Forecast tool, more than 590 thousand tons of CO2 emissions will be saved in the following five years due to Bound4blue’s forecasted installations. So our technology will be a massive emission saver in the upcoming years. Also, our solution provides huge opportunities to modernize the infrastructure which will create new jobs and promote greater prosperity across the globe.
What kind of setbacks have you encountered, and what kind of support helped you get through? Where will future endeavors bring you?
As with any product development, there is a risk of obtaining lower performances and not achieving the desired economic viability for the market. The technological and practical feasibility have been proven so far by our land prototypes and the demo is being run for merchant and fishing vessels.
Bound4blue’s solution is highly capital intensive, but we have already succeeded in raising over €5.8 million contribution from private investors and grants. In this type of venture, there is always a risk of slow market acceptance and adoption, but interest in the product has already been proven. Bound4blue has received funding from the European Regional Development Fund throughout several projects granted by the Government of Catalonia and the Government of Cantabria, as well as from the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) throughout two projects which are being developed right now together with other European companies. Moreover, Bound4blue received funding from EIT Climate KIC and presently financial support throughout the extraordinary COVID-19 venture support call. EIT Climate KIC has supported us with financing, mentoring, training and access to a global network of investors, as well as increasing our media exposure. They have helped us translate our business model into more transactions with customers that are validating our core value proposition, as well as enabled us to attract more capital to progress into the next stage in the business development.
Bound4blue is now at a pre-commercial stage. The next step is to implement a worldwide industrial network (shipyards, systems manufacturing and assembly), as well as to grow the team in the business development and commercial departments to expand operations and boost sales in Europe and Asia. Moreover, we will undergo incremental development to decrease costs while increasing efficiency and security.
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MINI has partnered with lifestyle brand, Deus Ex Machina, to develop this. It’s called the Skeg, and it’s a high-performance, racing-inspired electric concept car that’s sure to lighten the mood – by shedding fully 15% of its mass in the quest for speed.
One of a pair of exclusive, one-off concepts based on MINI’s John Cooper Works cars. The Deus Ex Machina Skeg celebrates MINI’s storied racing history with what the company calls, “a clean, minimal, and quiet rebellion,” that draws on materials, technologies, and philosophies from the world of surfing.
The electric MINI JCW Skeg is stripped to its essentials, with much of the steel and aluminum bits replaced with lightweight fiberglass to maximize acceleration while driving the minimalist aesthetic home. The end result weighs 15% less than the standard car – but makes the same stout 190 kW (258 hp) as the production car.
Surf’s up
The interior is stripped back to the barest essentials, reflecting BMW’s vision of a surf culture that prioritizes function over form. MINI claims the end result resembles a mobile surf shop, with fiberglass trays for wetsuits, specially shaped bins, neoprene seats, and other touches that “bring the surf culture into the interior.”
For their part, the BMW and MINI styling team seems pretty proud of its minimalistic electric endeavor. “In this extraordinary collaboration … every single detail has been crafted with artisanal precision and expertise,” says Holger Hampf, Head of MINI Design. “This has resulted in unique characters that are clearly perceived as belonging together through their distinctive design language and use of graphics.”
The concept retains the production version’s 54.2 kWh li-ion battery pack, up to 250 of WLTP range with the production aero kit, sprints from 0-100 km (62 mph) in just 5.9 seconds. With 15% less mass, though, that should jump to more than 255 miles, with 0-60 times dropping below 5.5 seconds.
I dig it – but I’d skip the surf bits and just appreciate the raw composite, minimalist interior look for what it is. Take a look at the image gallery, below, then let us know what you think of MINI’s Skeg concept in the comments.
MINI Skeg concept | gallery
SOURCE | IMAGES: BMW MINI.
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Environment
Volvo Penta teams up with e-power to equip Boels with next-gen Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS)
Veteran marine and industrial power solutions company Volvo Penta has joined forces with energy solutions provider e-power to build battery energy storage systems (BESS). Volvo Penta’s battery systems for energy storage will power BESS units built by e-power that can be catered to a range of applications, most notably construction rental clients like Boels Rentals in Europe.
Volvo Penta is a provider of sustainable power solutions that currently serves land and sea applications under the Volvo Group umbrella. As more and more of the world goes all-electric, the global manufacturer has also adapted, sharing cultural values with Volvo Group to engineer new and innovative sustainable power solutions.
Nearly 100 years later, Volvo Penta remains an industry leader in marine propulsion systems and industrial engines. As more and more of the world goes all-electric, the Swedish manufacturer has also adapted, sharing cultural values with Volvo Group to engineer new and innovative sustainable power solutions.
For example, all Volvo Penta diesel engines now run on hydro-treated vegetable oil (HVO), reducing well-to-wheel emissions by up to 90% across the marine and industrial power industries. On the zero-emissions side, Volvo Penta has expressed its dedication to fossil-free power solutions, including battery electric components to serve heavy-duty applications such as terminal tractors, forklifts, drill rigs, and feed mixers, to name a few.
To leverage its battery electric value chain, Volvo Penta has also ventured into battery systems for energy storage (or BESS subsystems). These energy-dense, purpose-built BESS subsystems can provide portable, sustainable energy for all-electric charging and reduce grid dependency.
Volvo Penta to deploy battery systems for energy storage
Volvo Penta recently announced a strategic partnership with e-power, a Belgian power solutions provider. Together, Volvo Penta and e-power will develop a scalable Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) for Boels Rental.
The collaboration continues a long-standing partnership between all three companies. Boels – one of the largest construction rental companies is a long-time customer of e-power generators that utilize Volvo Penta engines. As the company shifts toward electrification and sustainability, it will again turn to those companies to deliver reliable performance.
Volvo Penta’s BESS subsystem comprises battery packs, a Battery Management System (BMS), DC/DC converters, and thermal management, combining to offer a compact, high-density, and transport-friendly solution optimized for rental operations. The company shared that this BESS design is integration-ready, enabling other OEMs like e-power to adapt and scale systems to customer-specific needs. Per e-power business support director, Jens Fets:
We’ve built our reputation on reliability and efficient power systems. Working again with Volvo Penta, this time on battery energy storage, allows us to meet the growing demand for energy in a silent, low-emissions, compact and mobile design—especially in rental applications.
The deployment of these new battery energy storage systems will help Boels cater to its customers’ growing demand for clean, silent, and mobile energy solutions in construction and other industrial applications.
Aside from being more quickly adaptable to customer needs, Volvo Penta says its BESS architecture marks an overall shift in rental power systems. This is welcome news for all who support a cleaner, more sustainable future across all industries.
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That didn’t take long! Just a few hours after Mercedes revealed the screen-heavy interior of its upcoming 2026 GLC EV, photos of the new crossover’s exterior – and that controversial grille! – leaked on Instagram and Reddit. We’ve got them here.
Two days ahead of the GLC EV’s officially schedule global debut, images that reportedly show the new 2026 Mercedes undisguised have leaked on Instagram and Reddit. They show the blocky new light-up grille on the nose of a very smooth, jellybean-like crossover shape that, despite Mercedes’ insistence that it’s moving away from the EQ series’ design language, looks an awful lot like an EQ Mercedes.
Check out the leaked images from kindleauto’s Instagram account, below, and see if you agree with that assessment.
If you need to see more before you feel comfortable commenting on the new SUV’s looks, there’s a few more angles over on the r/mercedes_benz subreddit.
Leaked exterior pictures of the upcoming GLC EV
byu/Quick_Coyote_7649 inmercedes_benz
As with everything else on the internet, take those unofficial images with a grain of salt and maybe wait until the GLC EV’s official reveal in a few days’ time before casting your final vote on the new look – but there’s very little reason to believe the new Mercedes will look terribly different from what you see here.
Will the new grille and tech-forward interior with its massive, 39″ screen and MB.OS software be enough to turn the tide for Mercedes-Benz, enabling it to finally gain some traction in the electric crossover market? That remains to be seen, but the recently updated Tesla Model Y and crisply-styled new BMW iX3 with its 500 miles of range will make it an uphill battle, for sure.
We got a sneak peek at the new GLC back in July, when Mercedes-Benz Group CEO, Ola Källenius said that, “We’re not just introducing a new model – we’re electrifying our top seller.” Back then, we learned that the new GLC EV would have a wheelbase 3.1″ longer than the current ICE-powered model, as well as more head- and leg-room for its occupants and an extra 4.5 cubic feet (for 61.4 total) of cargo space.
Källenius also promised an innovative new 800V electric architecture and the latest battery tech, which will enable the electric GLC to add around 260 km (~160 miles) of WLTP range in just ten minutes thanks to more than 300 kW of charging capability.
SOURCES | IMAGES: kindleauto; Quick_Coyote_7649.
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