Sun and Sea seem to meet at horizon, but when we actually try to get these two most natural elements together, ideas of solar boats starts sailing! There is something magical about being up on deck of a giant ship as it pushes its way out to sea. But only if it’s powered by sun’s energy, does the magic get even more interesting and green! Theoretically, Solar boats are electrical boats, with independent, quiet and clean engines, whose batteries store free energy from the sun. But the term solar powered needs to be used with caution as its optimum benefit depend on many other factors too. Like the technical design, the amount of photovoltaic cells carried, the solar climate where it is based, and its pattern of use. Since we already have solar powered boasts of varied shapes and sizes already out there on the waters, let’s take a quick look at some of them. After crossing the Indian Ocean, the Sun 21 is currently attempting to cross the Atlantic. And Solar Navigator and PlanetSolar are the two World Solar record contenders for setting world navigation records in a solar powered boat. Though their technology is similar, the designs use quite different approaches in both of them.
Many electric boats have also been plying waterways in Europe since around 1890. 93 feet long, wooden Victory created waves in 1905 by plying as the largest electric boat on Thames then.
And with the Solar Navigator, one day it may be possible to travel around the world on solar power, in under 80 days.
The boats are extremely diverse, ranging from small lightweight craft designed to take just one or two crew up to passenger boats capable of carrying 50 or more people.
What all these have in common is their use of onboard solar photovoltaic modules to charge propulsion batteries, producing a very environmentally benign method of transport.
