Simply put, the “MS Turanor PlanetSolar, a 31-metre long catamaran covered with 500 square metres of photovoltaic solar panels, departed Monaco on September 2010 to start a world tour to promote solar energy and to showcase a Swiss-driven product of renewable energy meant to inspire new business opportunities amongst boat builders and component manufacturers along the route.” Keep reading for videos and more pictures…
The Swiss-designed, German-built ship is powered by over 5,380 square feet of solar paneling. The panels power two electric motors, which can reach 15 miles per hour. The panels can also soak up enough stored energy to power the boat in cloudy weather for three days. The excess energy is stored in a giant lithium-ion battery.
