Solar Boat

Crossing the Atlantic with solar power.

In 2006,a Swiss-built solar vessel became the first sun-powered boat to cross the Atlantic. The 14-metre “Sun21” catamaran took six months to cover 13,000 kilometers. The solar energy captured by mounted photovoltaic panels was used to power the boat’s electric motors and any surplus was stored in batteries, allowing it to travel at a constant speed of 56 knots day or night. (SF/swissinfo archive 2006)