Around the World With Solar Power

Expeditions around the world with ships already made history when Ferdinand Magellan did it for the first time in 1519-1522, using sailing ships. Now MS Tûranor PlanetSolar made new history as the first solar-fueled ships around the world. 

After an amazing 18-month journey, the Tûranor PlanetSolar sun-powered boat completes its around-the-world trip today! The world's largest solar-powered boat originally launched on its worldwide trip from Monaco in September 2010 and today (May 4th) the boat will officially finish the trip. The Swiss-designed solar boat is powered by 537 square meters of photovoltaic panels that enabled it to travel around the world and hit spots like Miami, Cancún, Brisbane, Singapore, Hong Kong and Abu Dhabi. (Picture from: http://inhabitat.com/)

Ship with a length of 31 meters and 15 meters wide, letter T-shaped is a phenomenal journey within 19 months. This clean and quiet vessel has been launched in March 2010 in Kiel, Germany, in the shipyards of Knierim Yachtbau after 14 months of construction. 

Shipping starts from Monaco on 27 September 2010 and ended on May 4, 2012. During the trip, Tûranor stopped in six continents. Ships also stop in Cancun, Mexico, when the United Nations held World Climate Conference in November 2010.

After crossing the Atlantic ocean, the Panama Canal, the Pacific ocean, the Indian ocean, the Suez Canal, and the Mediterranean, the Tûranor completes its trip today (May 4th) by arriving at Hercule Harbor in Monaco. (Picture from: http://inhabitat.com/)

"When the ship rests, I will miss the times when sailing," said Raphael Domjan, the expedition leader as well as designer of the ship. 

Tûranor name means strength of the sun, taken from the phenomenal novel The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. This name shows how the ship and six crew could sail by just relying on solar energy.

Tûranor made flat deck and into the installation of solar panel covering 537 square meters. Panels made from silicon is able to convert 18.8 percent of sunlight into electrical energy which is stored into the six-power lithium-ion battery is 93.5 kilowatts. With that much power, the ship is able to divide the sea with peak speeds of 15 knots, equivalent to 27.3 kilometers per hour. 

The expedition which cost U.S. $ 24 million, was carried out to campaign for clean energy to the world. Sunlight is a clean energy source and free to be learned in all the world, including the oceans. 

When it sailed 500 years ago, the solar panel technology has not been known by Magellan that they rely on cheap and free energy, like wind. "We hope that the expedition was to motivate the development of innovative technologies," said Domjan. *** [PLANETSOLAR | SCIENTIFICAMERICAN | ANTON WILLIAM | KORAN TEMPO 3874]