A Green Ship Sails From Unique New York

Where but in New York could a grimy old rust bucket of a power boat turn into a demonstration project proving the efficacy of hydrogen power?

Of course, this impressive project took place not in the Big Apple, but on the Hudson River. And the creators of the environmentally neutral ship, the New Clermont, aren't city slickers: they're students at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the MIT of upstate New York.

On the other hand, the New Clermont, refurbished and fitted with two 2.2 kilowatt pollution-free hydrogen fuel cells, is slated to launch from New York City. Specifically, they plan to leave Pier 84 in Manhattan on September 21, arriving in Troy, N.Y., on September 25. They'll leave no pollutants, trash or litter behind.

Along the way, the three-student crew plans to make several stops, showing off not only their high-tech ship but also their inventive genius. Says one member of the crew in Newswise: "We're high-tech environmentalists. We want to share our vision of a time when people can take a pleasure cruise on their boat, or drive to the store, without leaving a trail of pollution and toxins behind them. We hope to inspire and challenge them to think of ways of making that vision a reality."

Photo courtesy of stock.xchng