LONDON , England ( CNN ) -- The super-yachts of the super-rich could soon become super-green . The solar sail : super-yachts could cut fuel consumption and emissions by using a sail similar to this . Sydney-based technology company Solar Sailor is working on a `` solar sail '' which could act as both a sail and a solar power source to all sorts of large vessels . Super-yachts owned by billionaires like Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich and Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen are currently among the biggest fuel guzzlers on the planet . Some of the ocean-going beasts like Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum 's `` Dubai , '' the biggest private super-yacht in the world , are over 150 meters long and contain amenities like aircraft hangars , movie theaters , Jacuzzis , and swimming pools . All of these features sap incredible amounts of energy . Fuel consumption estimates on super-yachts have ranged up to one liter of fuel per second when traveling at high power . • See a photo gallery of the world 's best super-yachts . Solar Sailor 's CEO Robert Dane told CNN the technology could work perfectly with super-yachts . He said the solar sails had the ability to significantly reduce the boats ' fuel consumption and greenhouse-gas emissions . `` We think it would enable people to have their super-yacht but make little or no carbon footprint , which is the big problem with these vessels , '' he said . Dane said the technology worked by using a wing that is a solar panel or a sail , pivotally mounted to a vessel so it can be angled to the sun or the wind . The `` sails '' are controlled by a computer which takes into account the direction and strength of sun and wind to optimize energy collection . A design project is currently underway in the United Kingdom to create a solar sail for the super-yachts , he said . Dane said the company was working with Chinese shipping company COSCO to get solar sails on some of its fleet . `` Our aim is for a trail of retrofitted sails to one bulker and one tanker in 2010 . Based on the results of this , then we would design 'new-build ' vessels , '' he said . Dane estimated the sail could save about 5 percent in fuel consumption from the solar power and another 20 to 40 percent from wind power when the vessel is traveling at 18 knots . `` This might add up to a 10 percent saving overall in the whole journey , '' Dane said . He said there were further hopes that the technology could be improved by developing systems to raise and lower sails with fewer moving parts and store energy more efficiently .
Solar sails are large solar - paneled wings which can harness sun or wind energy . UK - based company Solar Sailor is developing the technology . The solar sails could be fixed to super - yachts to help reduce their fuel consumption .