Tûranor PlanetSolar
| 300px Tûranor PlanetSolar at a dockyard in Kiel | |
| Career (Switzerland) | 60px |
|---|---|
| Name: | Tûranor PlanetSolar |
| Owner: | PlanetSolar SA |
| Builder: | Knierim Yachtbau, Kiel, Germany |
| Cost: | € 12.5 mln |
| Launched: | 31 March 2010 |
| General characteristics [1] | |
| Displacement: | 85 metric tons |
| Length: | 31 m (35 m with flaps) |
| Beam: | 15 m (23m with flaps) |
| Propulsion: | 4 × electrical Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor with max. 60kW @ 1600 rpm each |
| Speed: | 14 kn (26 km/h) |
| Capacity: | 200 people |
| Crew: | 4 |
Tûranor PlanetSolar, also known under the project name PlanetSolar, is an entirely solar powered boat that was launched on 31 March 2010. It was built by Knierim Yachtbau in Kiel, Germany,[2][3] and was designed by LOMOcean Design, formerly known as Craig Loomes Design Group Ltd.. It is the largest solar-powered boat in the world.[4]
Similarly to Earthrace, another boat designed by LOMOcean Design , Tûranor PlanetSolar is planning to set a round-the-world record that will promote the use of sustainable energy.[5] Instead of using Bio Diesel like Earthrace, Tûranor PlanetSolar plans to exclusively use solar power. In doing so, Tûranor PlanetSolar will become the first ever boat to circumnavigate the world using solar power alone.[6] In order to fulfill this challenge, the boat is covered in over 500 square meters of solar panels[7] which in turn connect to one of the two electric motors in each hull.[4] Although its hull is capable of hosting 200 persons,[8] the shape of the boat means that it will be able to reach speeds of up to fourteen knots.[1] The boat's hull has been model tested in wind tunnels and has been tank tested to determine the hydrodynamics and aerodynamics of the hull. This 31 meters long boat has been designed to be used as a luxury yacht after the record attempt is finished.[9]
The boat is registered in Switzerland and was financed by a German entrepeneur; its construction costs amounted to € 12.5 million.[10] The name Tûranor was derived from J.R.R. Tolkien's novel The Lord of the Rings, it translates to "The Power of the Sun".[11]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Technical Data Sheet". PlanetSolar. http://www.das-solarboot.de/technical-data-sheet.html.
- ↑ "Tûranor PlanetSolar". Knierim Yachtbau. http://www.knierim-yachtbau.de/html/gb/yachts/planet-solar.php.
- ↑ "The solar boat PlanetSolar is launched during ceremony in Kiel". Reuters. http://www.fotoglif.com/f/eid4m89dm74f.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Pilato, Fabrizio (February 26, 2010). "PlanetSolar 100′ catamarn has 38,000 photovaltaic solar cells, set to sail in March". Mobile Magazine. http://www.mobilemag.com/2010/02/26/planetsolar-100-catamarn-has-38000-photovaltaic-solar-cells-set-to-sail-in-march/.
- ↑ Gaylord, Chris (February 26, 2010). "PlanetSolar: The sun-powered super yacht". The Christian Science Monitor. http://www.csmonitor.com/Innovation/Horizons/2010/0226/PlanetSolar-The-sun-powered-super-yacht.
- ↑ "First around the World with solar Energy". PlanetSolar. http://www.planetsolar.org/bateau.en.php.
- ↑ "PlanetSolar Unveils World's Largest Solar Boat". Environment News Service. February 27, 2010. http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/feb2010/2010-02-27-02.html.
- ↑ Kharrl, Nate (April 13, 2009). "Solar Planet Plans to Circle the Earth on Solar Power". Eco Factory. http://www.ecofactory.com/news/solar-planet-begins-construction-sun-powered-boat.
- ↑ "PlanetSolar". LOMOcean Design. http://lomocean.com/project.php?id=7. Retrieved 2010-04-24.
- ↑ Behling, Frank (24 April 2010). "Das Solarschiff fährt" (in German). Kieler Nachrichten. http://www.kn-online.de/lokales/kiel/148722-Das-Solarschiff-faehrt.html.
- ↑ "A Milestone in the Progress of Solar Mobility". PlanetSolar. http://www.das-solarboot.de/index.html.
