PlanetSolar: the largest ship that runs on solar energy 

Marat Makhanov

On Thursday, the public was presented PlanetSolar - multikorpusnoe ship fully powered by 500 square meters of solar photovoltaic panels. It is believed that this is the first largest "solar" boat in the world. 

As expected, the vessel length of 31 meters and a width of 15 meters, will be able to consume 103.4 kW solar energy. The needs of the engine, obviously, much less - need 20kW to reach the speed of eight knots (15 km / h or 9 miles per hour). It is hoped that the maximum speed of the boat is about twice as much. While impressive, that PlanetSolar can work, eating only by solar energy, at such speeds the implementation of the circumnavigation, scheduled for 2011, will take some time. 

60-ton catamaran cost 18 million. Euros (24.4 million. Dollars) was established in Knierim Yacht Club in northern Germany. He will be put on the water in the next month and will be tested in the sea from June to September. To achieve full solar photovoltaic capture has flaps that are extended aft and amidships. 

SunPower introduced about 38,000 photovoltaic cells of the next generation, the efficiency of which is not less than 22 percent. The Company believes that it is the most highly efficient solar panels on a commercial basis. 

The project was conceived by 38-year-old Swiss Domyan Rafael, who, along with Frenchman Gerard d'Abovillem going on PlanetSolar make next year traveling around the world, demonstrating the practical aspects of photovoltaic technology. The cities in which they are going to make a stop in Hamburg, London, Paris, New York, San Francisco, Singapore and Abu Dhabi. 

Although the boat and is not intended to replace the ordinary courts, PlanetSolar team noted that this was the first such large study in the world. Since the first ship we seem to have forgotten how clean can be transport. "Today, - they suggest - the ship - the most common means of transportation of goods. Each year they release almost 1.4 billion tons of carbon dioxide (in 2008), representing 6 per cent of total carbon dioxide emissions, and this, in turn, two times larger than the air transport. "