Wing-assisted electric catamaran designed for zero-emission operation across the Aeolian Islands

This study examines an innovative rigid wing sail incorporated into an electric catamaran with zero-emission potential in the Aeolian Islands. The catamaran has an overall length of 5 m, a breadth of 2.5 m, a draft of 0.20 m, and a displacement of 500 kg. The analysis quantifies the system's contribution to the annual energy balance by integrating photovoltaic panels. Sea trials provided the boat's power–speed profile, which was used to calibrate the developed model. Inspired by the Oceanbird concept, the wind propulsion system includes a 2.4 m 2 NACA 0015 rigid wing that an actuator rotates on its vertical axis. Solar irradiance and real wind data for 2025 were obtained from Open-Meteo and used to test the model. Renewable energy sources constitute 9.7% of annual energy needs, with photovoltaic energy accounting for 7% and wind energy for 2.7%. The seasonal inputs are complementary, as solar energy peaks in June and wind energy peaks during the equinoxes. The study's key innovation is a route-specific numerical approach that combines full-scale experimental data to evaluate annual energy savings achievable with an automated rigid-wing wind system on a fixed route under realistic environmental conditions. The approach is developed for a small catamaran, and the results are not scalable to large ships. The research highlights the potential of automated wind-assisted propulsion systems for eco-friendly, smart catamarans that operate between the Aeolian Islands.