Eco Factor: Boat powered entirely by solar energy.
At 31m long, the world’s largest solar-powered multi-hulled vessel has been unveiled. The catamaran, dubbed PlanetSolar, is expected to produce up to 103.4KW of solar power to drive its engine which needs just 20KW to achieve a speed of about eight knots.
The boat has been designed for a global circumnavigation planned for 2011. The 60 ton catamaran has been built at the cost of about $24.4 million at the Knierim Yacht Club in Kiel in northern Germany. The boat’s 38,000 photovoltaic cells have been provided by SunPower, which are claimed to have an efficiency of at least 22 percent.
Photos: Christian Charisius
Via: Treehugger/The Age