Posted 05.08.2012 at 11:08 am
13 Comments
Tûranor PlanetSolar
Wikimedia Commons
The MS Tûranor PlanetSolar pulled into Monaco's Hercule Harbor on Friday, completing its journey around the world--the very first solely solar-powered watercraft to do so. Of course, it's not an ordinary ship. It cost over $16 million USD, has over 500 square meters of solar panels, and can house 200 people.
The ship is mostly designed for efficiency--it has a super-light hull made mostly from foam and carbon fiber, and is designed for minimum friction with the water. That's because even with 38,000 individual photovoltaic cells, it still can't drive all that much power to its four electric motors, which can only output 26-horsepower each. Still, it can glide along at 14 knots--not a speed demon, but respectable.
The 115-foot-long ship--also the world's longest solar-powered ship--took 585 days to travel all seven seas (are there actually seven seas? A high five to anyone who can name the seven seas in the comments), during which the crew actually had to fight off pirates, and its fate after its trip is unclear. Possibly it'll be used as a research vessel, or it could even be sold to the highest, ludicrously wealthy, environmentally-conscious bidder.
[via Gizmodo]
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Arctic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, Caribbean Sea, and The Gulf of Mexico!
Mediterranean (w/Aegean)
Adriatic
Arabian (incl. Indian Ocean)
Black
Caspian
Persian Gulf
Red
wait - that can hold 200 people? sounds like the first solar powered ocean catastrophe.
This boat can house 200 people? That sounds as reliable as that other nautical work of fiction about the "Ark"...
I think this is really neat. I wonder if they could make a ship run off of other "green" energy sources, such as wind. Wait a minute . . .
In all seriousness, what is the major advantage of this expensive, slow boat vs. just using a sail? Wind also blows at night.
Frosttty, I don't understand why you insulted the Bible in this discussion. I don't see it mentioned anywhere in the article. Some people are just haters, I guess.
I'll bet that number was a typo.... can't see more than 20 people fitting in that thing at all comfortably. :-)
JayArr,
From outside appearances, it does not seem to seat 200, but according to
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C3%BBranor_PlanetSolar
it does seat 200.
.............................
Science sees no further than what it can sense, i.e. facts.
Religion sees beyond the senses, i.e. faith.
Open your mind and see!
If you check the Tûranor PlanetSolar 's own website it specifically states that only 40 people can be on board the boat. From the images of the internal layout, there are only 6 staterooms on the boat.
But it can seat 200!!! LOL
I suppose then the word to focus on is 'seat'.
So for a one day party, this quantity is true.
Patently Bama, it makes sense what you write is true too.
.............................
Science sees no further than what it can sense, i.e. facts.
Religion sees beyond the senses, i.e. faith.
Open your mind and see!
Solar panels are NOT green. Foolish waste of resources. The energy it took to create the solar panels were way more than the return will ever be.
If the owner wanted efficiency, then they' d have use sails or at least the modern turbo sails to harness the wind.
Alcyone is the Cousteau Society's ship powered by turbo sails.
I wish PS would do an in-depth study on the energy used to create a common silicon wafer and finally stop posting stupid articles on green solar panels.
Currently the only source of solar energy is to use the heat as in Spain's excellent projects returning real green power today. If in some future time, electric producing dyes or paints prove to last more than a few days there might be hope. If the current models of silicon PV's can create more than 40% there might be hope but the poor 20% return is just an energy loss.
Countries like China produce the panels at a loss and that is after basically slave labor, no environmental controls and funny currency practices. Some green that is.
why not build a solar-wind powered ship..
why dont they just make a ship that is powered by the oceans waves? they already have waves that power turbines.
"religion is like a prison for the seekers of wisdom"
-Killah Priest
This is an astonishing accomplishment. The engineers and designers worked cohesively to develop and build a sleek and streamlined vessel. The fact that it can house 200 people is also an achievement. Is it possible that pictures of the interior of the vessel will be posted as well.
Congratulations!
www.solaruniversecalifornia.com/sce