Dirty Coal statistic of the day

Buses can now keep passengers cool without endless idling and belching of diesel fuel into the air thanks to a new solar power-assist system developed by SunPods Inc.

An artist's rendition of the PlanetSolar catamaran. (PlanetSolar Photo)

What its builders say is the world's largest solar-powered boat, PlanetSolar, was unveiled in Germany today (Feb. 25) in anticipation of a planned trip around the world in 2011. The trip will be the first by a boat using exclusively solar power.

"(We have) an opportunity for our civilisation," notes the PlanetSolar team on its web site. "Using technology and our knowledge to improve our energy efficiency and promote renewable energies is the path towards a lasting world."

PlanetSolar will first hit the water in late March 2010 for testing. For the planned 2011 trip, the two-person crew will straddle the Equator as much as possible in order to maximize the amount of sunlight to power the vessel. The 40,000-kilometer trip is expected to last around 140 days

This Cruise Car Inc. electric golf cart gets some of its fuel from a solar panel on the roof.

Looking for an environmentally friendly form of transportation  that celebrates – and harnesses – the power of solar energy as a form of vehicle fueling?

Then you might want to check out Cruise Car Inc., a Sarasota, Fla. Company that sells a line of low-speed electric vehicles  -- the SunRay line -- partially powered by solar panels on the roof.  SunRay vehicles are designed for short distance spaces and places like golf courses, college campuses, and hospital and private business campuses.

Swiss teacher Louis Palmer, who traversed the world in a solar-powered car in 2008, will do it again in June 2010, this time participating in, and organizing, a global Zero Emissions Race.

In December 2008, Louis Palmer became the first person ever to drive a solar-powered car around the world. This project was known as the Solartaxi. It took him 534 days to complete his circumnavigation and spread his message: renewable energies are reliable, affordable and ecological!

This June, Palmer intends to take things even further. This time he doesn’t want to do it alone. Palmer is challenging the world to a race -- the The Zero Emission Race. The race will be a global event which will seek to generate public interest and create new ways of thinking about mobility, cars and energy.