World's Largest Solar Ship Completes Transatlantic Voyage
The world’s largest solar ship completed its second transatlantic crossing this year, reported Renewable Energy World website. The catamaran PlanetSolar voyaged from Canada to Belgium, a distance of 2,857 miles, in 23 days. The German-built catamaran is exclusively powered by solar energy.
The 2013 expedition was designed to demonstrate the ship’s practical applications for scientific research. The “PlanetSolar DeepWater” voyage collected a continuous stream of data from the air and the ocean along the Gulf Stream. The researchers were able to generate data for over 8,000 kilometers. Professor and climatologist Martin Beniston of the University of Geneva led a team of researchers studying phytoplankton and aerosols, which are key elements of climate regulation. Their research was driven by the desire to better understand the complicated interactions between ocean and atmosphere and their role in climate change.
After docking at Oostende, Belgium, the researchers plan to test a net that may be used in a campaign to collect floating waste such as plastic bags and bottles that post a hazard to birds and other wildlife. That project is in collaboration with the Waste Free Oceans foundation. In addition to performing scientific research, the team used docking stops in Miami, New York, Boston, Halifax, and St. John’s to host press events and raise public awareness about climate change, renewable energy, and the ship’s potential uses.
The ship has been hailed by environmentalists for its social and scientific potential. PlanetSolar completed the first solar-powered voyage around the world last year, concluding its 584-day journey in May of 2012 in a mission to highlight the ship’s role as a mobile ambassador for photovoltaic energy.
The crew members consist of the captain, Gérard d’Aboville; Brieuc Delbot, the second; Antoine Simon, the electrical engineer; Hugo Buratti, a seaman and steward; and Vincent Brunet, a steward and chef.
The 2013 PlanetSolar campaign will proceed from Oostende to London and will conclude in Paris.
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Photo Credit: PlanetSolar arriving in London (Ania Dabrowska), Bottom: PlanetSolar arriving in NYC (Anthony Collins).
