Pollution-free globe-trotting goes fabulously gigantic as the PlanetSolar – the world’s largest solar-powered catamaran – announced its arrival yesterday. Nearly 13 months went into the fabrication of the 102 feet long and 50 feet wide vessel. The multi-hull vessel shows itself with about 5,300 square feet of black photovoltaic solar panels that contains some 38,000 of SunPower’s next generation cells.
Draped in white, the 24-1/2 feet high, futuristic Swiss catamaran has made its maker, Raphael Domjan, 38, proud as he can’t help expressing him thus:
This is a unique feeling to see in front of me today a boat which I so often dreamed about… The aim is really to show that we have the technology today, not tomorrow… It’s not in a laboratory or DIY. It is a technology that is reliable, able to perform and economically interesting.
The 18 million euro ($27.4 million) catamaran ably reaches a top speed of 15 knots or 27 kilometers per hour, and has a seating capacity of 50 passengers. It was built at Knierim Yacht Club in Kiel in northern Germany.
[h2]World Tour to follow official unveiling:[/h2]
Slated for an official launch in late March, it will undergo thorough testing between June and September. Once satisfied with its overall functioning, the sea-queen will undertake her first world tour in 2011.
[h2]PlanetSolar: World’s largest solar-powered boat Picture Gallery[/h2]
