An exciting new concept in boating is being introduced. With the ability to make
electric motors smaller and lighter, the use of smaller, light weight lithium
batteries and the addition of solar panels, the vessel TURANOR (the name is derived
from J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” and translates into “The
Power of the Sun”) PlantSolar is circumnavigating the globe on solar electric
power alone. It is a catamaran style, with a “wave-piercing” concept
design to enable it to “slice” through the waves, using less energy
than conventional designs that have a boat “ride” the waves. The
vessel, which looks somewhat like a small aircraft carrier, is 102 foot long
with a beam of 50 foot and a weight of 95 tons. The surface of the Turanor, the
largest solar boat in the world, measures over 5,700 square feet. It is designed
to act as a solar generator to ensure the vessel can keep going for long periods – up
to three full days, without sunlight. Solar energy is stored in lithium batteries.
I
was recently privileged to have a private meeting and opportunity
to interview a press representative, Ms. Annette Knaeffl
of Germany, traveling with the TURANOR
expedition while it was moored at dockside in Miami. The Turanor barely resembled
a vessel docked among some of the world’s largest fuel-guzzler yachts.
It was a remarkable ship to view and as I read off my list of questions, my host
was very accommodating and knowledgeable of the project and able to answer my
questions. I learned that owner and financier, Immo Stroher, a veteran of the
solar energy industry, invested $17.5 million into the development of the vessel.
His press release regarding the expedition states, “We want to help drive
forward the development of sustainable energy technologies on the water and
in other mobile applications. The aim is to offer future-proof solutions for
sustainable
living in major cities and environmentally responsible mobility concepts. Urban
cities near water, such as Monaco, Singapore, Sydney and Hong Cong, plus so
many others, can benefit from this technology to provide fume-free, energy-efficient
transportation solutions to its residents.
I
am thrilled to be part of this project. It is my vision to
see solar power take its rightful place — not only
on rooftops, but also on the roads, seas and in the skies
of the future.”
I
learned the Turanor began to circle the globe on Sept. 27
with a crew of six when it left Monaco. The goal is to study
how a vessel will “behave” during
such a long voyage using solely the energy of the sun and to prove dependence
on oil can be broken. The ship’s route is via the Atlantic, the Panama
Canal, the Pacific, the Indian Ocean and the Suez Canal with stopovers
in Miami, Cancun, Sydney, Singapore and Abu Dhabi.
After a 63 day passage, the Turanor cruised through Government Cut into the port
of Miami, where it docked for four days and hosted more than 650 visitors, who
viewed its unique design and learned about its journey.
During
my interview, I was told while under way the vessel can extend
more solar panels like wings, increasing the boats length to 115 feet
and its
beam from
50 to 75 feet. The solar cells generate enough power to charge the
world’s
largest (13 ton) lithium ion battery, which can hold enough juice to run the
vessel’s electric motors, computers and navigation systems overnight and
store up to three days worth for cloudy day encounters. Crew members noted, “Charting
a course isn’t as simple as plotting straight lines in the GPS
system, daily weather reports enable us to steer toward bright sun
and favorable
winds.”
After departing Miami, the Turanor spent nine days cruising to Cancun, Mexico,
where it will be on display for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Control (UNFCCC). It will provide visible proof of efficient use of solar technology
to improve the climate of our planet.
As I see it, to see this vessel was to witness what truly is a maritime marvel
and a deep look into our future.
To
follow the course of the Turanor PlanetSolar you may log
on to their website at www.planetsolar.org, where press releases
and
photos
will
appear. Project
founder Raphael Domjan remarked in a recent press statement, “There
are so many of you out there, following our trip and reading
our logbooks. We have
received a lot of mail, from places as far apart as South America
and New Zealand, words of encouragement and support. ... PlantSolar
is
your project,
we just
represent it.”