Just learned of these today. Canal boats are an interest, but I sure do not remember hearing of these before.
“For many centuries, canal boats were propelled by men, horses or mules on the towpath beside the water. Before diesel power took over, engineers developed several interesting methods powered by electricity: trolleyboats, floating funiculars and electric mules. Many of these ecological solutions could be applied today instead of diesel engines. Because of the very low energy requirements, they could easily be powered by renewable energy, generated on the spot by water turbines located at sluices. One trolleyboat line is still in use.”
http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2009/12/trolley-canal-boats.html
By mules you mean small locomotives, like here in France (now defunct):
Canal de la Marne au Rhin, France in 2006. The lights are for the boats, not the locos, which are long gone.
Regards,
Peter.
Yep, Peter, that would be what they mean by electric mules: Panama Canal has some pretty fair sized ones. Nice photo.
That electric motored boats would be directly pulling power from trolley wire is something I had not at all expected.
Same here: I have been taught way back not to mix water and electricity.
From what I have seen generating power from canal water probably won’t fly: they often have water shortages in summer in France, to the point where boats have to be grouped through the locks.