Now that solar power is moving into the mainstream, it’s taking its show on the the ocean, where sun-powered boats are rapidly leaving gas-powered boating in their wake.
On Feb. 25, SunPower unveiled its remarkable PlanetSolar boat, the world’s largest solar seafaring vehicle, which is powered completely by 500 square meters of photovoltaic panels, according to TreeHugger. Some of the panels are installed on retractable flaps.
The boat, 31 meters long and 15 meters wide, will be able to run at an average speed of 8 knots (9 miles per hour) and a top speed of approximately 16 knots. PlanetSolar, which weighs 60 tons and cost $24.4 million to build, was constructed at the Knierim Yacht Club in Kiel, Germany. The ship will be launched next month and taken on sea trials this summer.
The boat’s creators, Raphaël Domjan from Switzerland and Gérard d’Aboville from France, plans to circumnavigate the globe on the PlanetSolar in 2011, the first around-the-world tour on solar energy, to showcase solar power’s, well, power.
“PlanetSolar wants to show that we can change, that solutions exist and that it isn’t too late,” Domjan is quoted on the boat’s website. “Future generations are looking to us; our choices will mark the future of humanity.”
Photo by blmurch via Flickr.