The 27 of September of 2010 the solar boat left the port of Monaco, returning 584 days later on May 4, 2012. The ship crossed the Atlantic, the Panama Canal, the Pacific, the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Aden and the Suez Canal before finally reaching the Mediterranean Sea again. The 52 ports it arrived at served to showcase the solar's unique opportunities and promote its use.
The MS Turanor PlanetSolar is the largest solar ship on the planet. This catamaran operates only thanks to the solar energy captured by its 512 square meters of solar panels. Months of research ended up creating the perfect dimensions and layout for those who want to cross the blue planet from east to west. The engineers had to optimize energy storage, as well as aerodynamics, propulsion and choice of materials.
PlanetSolar has a carbon structure which gives it little weight and durability. The 512 square meters of solar panels supply 6 blocks of lithium-ion batteries, being the largest battery of this type on the planet. This technology makes it possible to provide the necessary energy for a new type of autonomous navigation. When the batteries are full, the boat can sail for 72 hours in complete darkness.
At first, the design of the first model of the boat was like a catamaran that was capable of having mounted a solar panel area of 180 square meters. The purpose of the project was to complete as quickly as possible the first round the world using exclusively solar energy.
The ship was built in Kiel in northern Germany. The construction project lasted 14 months and was required more than 64000 hours of work at a cost of about 12 million euros.
At this time is in Venice waiting for a new owner, being now in the hands of the Stroeher family, a German family passionate about solar technologies, and that has been behind the development of this incredible boat.
Futuristic design like the only one, it looks like something out of Star Wars. What a mess!
And I spend 0 on fuel! : =)