Category: Green Tech Author : Steven Hodson Posted: March 7, 2010
Tags : boats, catamaran, solar power
Solar is all the rage these days with everyone from home owners to big corporations getting in on the act. So when it comes to news about solar projects one can get kind of jaded and then this comes along.
The ‘this’ that I am talking about is PlanetSolar which is billing itself as the world’s largest solar powered boat. As a boat it is a catamaran that measures 101ft long, 49ft wide and is designed to reach a top speed of 15 knots (17 mph). It is also supposed to be able to carry 50 passengers.
Power wise the PlanetSolar gets all its running power from 5,381 sq ft of photovoltaic solar cells which will be used in a planned trip around the world in 2011. Until then here’s a few images to give you an idea of the size of this beast.
hat tip to My Modern Metropolis
Mar 7, 2010
It is big, although it seems to be a trimaran, not a cat. One question I always ask myself, which is just a fussy design thing – why when PV cells are incorporated in to a design for a house or a car or in this case a boat – do they look like an afterthought that has been bolted-on after the event? Would you not think that the naval architect that came up with this would have at least wanted to soften the line of the PV cells up to the bow? As I say, perhaps I’m just being picky, but I think that as long as being environmentally aware feels like a compromise on design, it will remain on the periphery of the main-stream.
Mar 8, 2010
This is really very huge, and now it looks like people have became serious about the global warming and started taking steps for the climate change. This project will save lots of fuel and i hope there will be more of this will come in future so that we can use the natural energy to travel.
hawaii cruise
Mar 15, 2010
I am always interested in different innovative solar powered things.I am so impressed by this solar powered boat that is PlanetSolar.This is really very big.I have just like its shape and design..Its also very interesting to know information about this PlanetSolar.
m3 ds
Mar 26, 2010
The idea of solar panel boat illustrated in this post sounds like impressive and amazing thought…Such ind of plans make your journey towards using the never ending source of energy.
Organic Fertilizer