Read more: 鈥�Deep designs: Catch the next wave鈥�
THE T没ranor PlanetSolar is set to enter the record books next month as the first solar-powered boat to circumnavigate the world. The 31-metre yacht embarked from Monaco on 27 September 2010 and is due to return on 4 May.
鈥淲e set out to show that solar technology could work in the most demanding conditions at sea and we鈥檝e done that,鈥� says Pascal Goulpi茅, an atmospheric scientist who co-founded the project in 2004.
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is a 95- tonne carbon fibre catamaran fitted with more than 530 square metres of photovoltaic panels capable of generating 90 kilowatts, which powers an electric motor connected to a propeller. The yacht also carries 10 tonnes of lithium batteries to store electricity.
Shipping is the most energy efficient way of moving goods, says electrochemist Gregory Offer of Imperial College London, who is unconnected with the project. Some 90 per cent of the world鈥檚 goods are shipped by water.
Although marine diesel engines are highly efficient under full load, they can be very inefficient under partial load, for example, when manoeuvring into port. They also emit large amounts of sulphur dioxide and nitrous oxide. Offer says the world鈥檚 15 largest ships emit as much sulphur dioxide as all the world鈥檚 760 million cars.
Clearly, big improvements are possible. Goulpi茅 says the reason for building T没ranor PlanetSolar was to learn about the challenges of exploiting solar power at sea.
The yacht鈥檚 emissions have been essentially zero during the journey. And it has performed well. It lost only three solar panels 鈥� in each case because a person fell on it.
The panels are linked by more than 1200 electrical connectors and only five failed because of corrosion. Salt and sand can also cover the panels and reduce performance. 鈥淚f there is no rain, we need to wash the panels every two weeks,鈥� says Goulpi茅.
The project demonstrates the potential of zero-emission transport, says Offer. 鈥淪olar power is a game changer for marine propulsion, and these guys have shown it can be done.鈥�
聯Solar power is a game changer for marine propulsion as these guys have shown聰
