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The "world's mightiest solar boat" will circumnavigate the world in 120 daysTaking command of Ferdinand Magellan's expedition to the Philippines after the Spanish explorer died in the Battle of Mactan in 1521, Juan Sebasti'an Elcano completed the first circumnavigation of the globe the following year.Now, Swiss engineer Raphael Domjan and French sailor Gerard D'Abouville are going to repeat Elcano's famed journey in what Scientific American has called the "world's mightiest solar boat."The PlanetSolar catamaran, unveiled last week at a shipyard in Kiel, Germany, is a fully electric boat made of the same lightweight carbon-fiber composite of which airplane wings are made. It is designed to operate at sea indefinitely.During its 25,000-mile (40,000-kilometer) voyage scheduled for early next year, PlanetSolar will be powered only by the energy amassed by 1,540 square feet (470 square meters) of solar panels and move at an average speed of 8 mph (13 kph).Planned stops in Hamburg, London, Paris, New York, San Francisco, Singapore and Abu Dhabi will focus on educating the public about the power and possibilities of renewable energy."Our main goal is to be optimistic and to spread optimism," says Domjan, "because almost everybody on this planet knows we have to change, but they think we cannot change. What we'd like to say to the world is, 'look, it will work -- we can keep our level of life and if we use technology, it can be sustainable.'"GET INVOLVED * Subscribe to the PlanetSolar newsletter * View the World Sunlight Map to see where the Sun in shining on the Earth right now * Find out how to use solar power at home * Support the WCN Solar Project in their effort to provide solar electricity to conservationists in the field * View the World Sunlight Map to see where the Sun in shining on the Earth right nowRELATED POSTS * How the Sun Will Die (December 18, 2009) * Sailing Through Space on Sunshine (November 13, 2009) * American Lawmakers Consider Geoengineering (November 11, 2009) * Light for Lions (October 1, 2009)image: PlanetSolar
Credit: cleanpowerlife.blogspot.com
