PlanetSolar unveiled the world's largest solar boat at the HDW Shipyard in Germany, on February 25. Photo Credit: PlanetSolarFebruary 26, 2010, (Sawf News) - PlanetSolar unveiled the world's largest solar boat at the HDW Shipyard in Germany, on February 25.
The 30-meter long catamaran is powered exclusively by high-efficiency solar cells and covered with 500 square meters of photovoltaic solar panels.
Designed by a team of international engineers, the boat will be powered by approximately 38,000 next generation cells manufactured by world leader SunPower.
Each cell offers an efficiency of at least 22 percent, the highest efficiency solar cells commercially available.
The boat will be launched in late March for testing, and then embark on a round-the-world tour in early 2011.
The first solar-powered round-the-world voyage - scheduled for April 2011 - will run from East to West, along an equatorial route.
The catamaran is expected to be the fastest solar boat to cross the Atlantic Ocean and the first to cross both the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
Stopovers include Hamburg, London and Paris in Europe, New York and San Francisco in the U.S., and Singapore and Abu Dhabi. The solar boat will be available for public display during each of its stops, offering an educational opportunity to all visitors.
It will be manned by two sailors but will be able to accommodate up to fifty people during the promotional trips planned at each port of call
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