Raising crude prices have made many things more expensive for people and buisnesses worldwide, but there has been one positive offshoot to the whole situation: now governments and companies are much more interested in developing renewable energy technologies, in order to save money.

One such company -- Nippon Yusen KK, the biggest container shipping company in Japan -- has started looking into using solar power cells to help power their massive transcontitental shipping boats. They hope to have enough solar panels to collect 40 kilowatts of electricty on sunny days. This energy will help supply about 6% of the power requirements of the huge diesel-electric motors that propels the 60,000 tonne, car-carrying ships.

The first ship with these solar panels is set to be completed in Decemeber.