Berlin's mayor, Klaus Wowereit, recently sent the city's first solar powered passenger ship – SOLON –on its maiden voyage. Photo Credit: Video GrabAugust 13, 2009, (Sawf News) - Berlin's mayor, Klaus Wowereit, recently sent the city's first solar powered passenger ship – SOLON – on its maiden voyage.
The 60 passenger ship is named after a Berlin-based solar company that supplied the 24 solar modules, with a 5.6 kWp capacity, fitted on the ship's roof to power it.
SolarWaterWorld AG, the manufacturer and operator of the SOLON, also operates the world's first solar charging station for solar-powered boats in the Köpenick district of Berlin. The company has more than seventeen years' experience in the research and development of solar shipping.
The C60 solar catamaran can accommodate up to 60 passengers and will sail on Berlin's waterways providing tours of the city and cruise trips. The ship offers a tangible sign that emission-free mobility is advancing also for inland shipping. A prototype of this craft completed its first Atlantic crossing to New York in 2006/2007.
SolarWaterWorld now sells production-built C60 catamarans worldwide. The company also offers a smaller solution in the form of the SunCat23, which can be sailed without a license in Germany and is therefore also suitable for use by boat hire companies.
While the initial cost of a solar powered ship or boat is high, the price effectively includes 25 years of fuel supply for the craft.
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