
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