Around the world on solar energy.
Three days ago this catamaran, with motors powered by solar energy, left Monaco on the first solar boat expedition around the world. Valued at 14 million euros, the boat is owned by German billionaire, Immo Ströher who made his fortune from solar energy.
Energy is stored in the batteries by day and the catamaran can continue sailing on stored energy without sunlight for about three days. She will follow an equatorial route in order to take advantage of the most sunshine. Her first port of call will be in the Canaries - she'll travel across the Atlantic, the Panama Canal, the Pacific, the Indian Ocean and the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean on a cruise that is scheduled to last 160 days. You can follow this record-breaking voyage day by day on the Planet Solar website which is available in English, French and German.
To quote from the website: 'PlanetSolar aims in a nutshell:
- Demonstrate the potential for renewable energies and photovoltaic
- To show that today we have the technology required for sustainability
- To take part in the technological development of renewable energy and advance scientific research
- To inform and make the public aware of the importance of renewable energy
- To make the best use of energy efficiency
- To show that the economy and ecology can and must work together.'
10 comments:
Lovely boat -- wishing them a Bon Voyage.
Joanny
enfin un yacht écologique
mais il ne reste plus de place pour mettre sa chaise longue et bronzer
Tres drole, Bergson!
What a wonderful idea and it looks so... stylish!
~Dianne~
Incredible boat! And they will even be able to have fried eggs on the solar panels!
No sunbathing on that deck.
I think it's a very good idea.
When I was in Monaco there was so much pollution from the cars driving anround and around, so in the end of my holidays I couldn't stand it anymore and didn't feel well. You told me that many citizens have electrical cars now. Well, the electricity doesn't just come out of the socket, so I thought the cars should additionally have solar cells on the roof! Maybe this will come one day, now that this boat gave the idea! And of course solar cells roof tiles for all new built houses!
Barbara from Germany
I saw this on the news last night.
This is really neat! I hope it works out.
Just met her in the Delaware Bay. She was outbound but non responsive to radio calls on channel 13 or 16. I wish her and her crew a safe voyage.
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