World's largest, most advanced solar-powered boat in Phl

MANILA, Philippines - The world’s largest and most advanced solar-powered boat, M/S Tûranor Planet Solar, has arrived in Manila to promote solar power, the World Wide Fund (WWF) for Nature announced yesterday.

WWF-Philippines chairman Vincent Perez said the multi-hulled catamaran aims to be the first solar-powered boat to circumnavigate the world, traveling over 55,000 kilometers westward across the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans.       

“It set sail from Monaco in southern France last September 27, 2010 and has just arrived in Manila from Australia. The Philippine stop is a recognition of the country’s strong support for renewable energy,” Perez said.

The German vessel measures 31 by 15 meters and tips the scales at 85 tonnes; 537 square meters of photovoltaic solar panels provide up to 127 horsepower – enough to keep the craft moving at a constant 14 kilometers per hour. The ship is exclusively powered by 38,000 high-efficiency solar cells all produced in the Philippines at the manufacturing facilities of SunPower Corp. Already it has won two accolades – the fastest crossing of the Atlantic by a solar-powered vessel and the longest distance covered by a solar-powered electric vehicle.                                          

“The sun has always been our planet’s most important source of power -wind, rainfall and waves are all indirectly generated by the sun. Harnessing even a tiny portion of its immense power can provide us with limitless amounts of clean energy.

The message of M/S Tûranor Planet Solar is clear – clean and dependable renewable energy technology is here.” Perez served as energy secretary from 2001 to 2005 and has since been active in promoting renewable energy.

WWF-Philippines is encouraging the public to see the docked Tûranor Planet Solar, which will be berthed at the new Mall of Asia Ferry Terminal in Pasay City until the end of the week. SunPower Corp., a partner of WWF and one of the world’s leading proponents of solar power, hosted a small morning gathering aboard the vessel to celebrate the merits of renewable energy.

The vessel’s name – Tûranor – was derived from J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy. Roughly translated, it means “powered by the sun.”  – With Alexis Romero