Thursday 2nd of May 2024

solar record...

The Turanor PlanetSolar, the world's largest solar boat, will berth at Brisbane's Riverside Centre pontoon near Eagle Street tomorrow.


The 31-metre Turanor PlanetSolar.

The 31-metre Turanor PlanetSolar.

It will be the first Australian stop on its quest to become the first entirely solar-powered vessel to circumnavigate the world.

The $16.7 million yacht, which has been compared to Star Trek's Starship Enterprise, relies on the force of the sun and its extremely powerful batteries.

The multi-hull catamaran, which measures 31 metres by 15 metres, is fitted with 38,000 high-efficiency solar cells.

In its record breaking attempt, the 60-tonne vessel will travel 27,000 nautical miles at speeds of up to 14 knots.

Co-skipper Raphael Domjana said the crew also aimed to advance scientific research into the production and storage of solar energy.

Equipped with purpose-built weather and tidal forecasting software, Turanor's crew can also accurately predict the intensity of sunshine for several days ahead.

Turanor can sail for up to five nights without direct sunlight on power stored in its lithium ion batteries.

The German-built catamaran has broken two records since embarking from Monaco on September 27 last year: the fastest crossing of the Atlantic Ocean by solar boat and the longest distance ever covered by a solar electric vehicle.


Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/environment/energy-smart/sailing-in-on-solar-winds-20110527-1f7ub.html#ixzz1NjVXLWgG