Solar Powered Boat Ends Round the World Trip

In these days of environmental awareness, a European venture has shown the possibilities of solar power. PlanetSolar is the world's largest solar-powered boat and the catamaran will complete its record-breaking round-the-world trip this week when it docks in Monaco after 600 days at sea.

Published

about 1 year ago

Categories

Technology, Green Technology, Science, Climate & Environment

Topics

Technology, Climate Change, Environment

Places

France, Italy, Iceland, Monaco

Tags

boating, green vehicles, green transportation, solar power, boat, solar

Transcript

SCRIPT: <br></br><br></br>A catamaran arrives at the Italian island of Elba as it nears the end of its 600-day round-the-world odyssey. <br></br><br></br>With 530 square metres of solar panels PlanetSolar is a boat like none other, relying only on the sun for power. <br></br><br></br>After leaving Monaco 18 months ago it has crossed both the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans. <br></br><br></br>And it's all thanks to a Swiss engineer and dreamer who set out to show a way of combatting climate change. <br></br><br></br>SOUNDBITE 1: Raphael Domjan (man) head of PlanetSolar expedition (French, 15 sec): <br></br>"In 2004, I saw the thawing of a glacier in Iceland. I wanted to do something to show that we have everything at our disposal: the know-how, technology, raw materials and renewable energy to become sustainable and protect the planet." <br></br><br></br>After securing sponsorship from a German industrialist in 2008, Domjan began building the boat which would become the largest solar-powered vessel ever completed. <br></br><br></br>SOUNDBITE 2: Jens Langwasser, head of PlanetSolar construction team (English, 16 sec): <br></br>"It was not easy to build. OK, we built it in a record time of a year and half. Which was really really short. But we had a lot of problems in the building process, to find the right solar modules etc…" <br></br><br></br>In the right conditions Planetsolar can produce 500 to 600 kilowatts of energy and while its speed is much slower than a traditional boat it can cover up to 3000 kilometers when the engines are fully charged. <br></br><br></br>SOUNDBITE 3: Erwann Le Bouzic (man) captain of the PlanetSolar (French, 18 sec): <br></br>"We can say that solar-powered boats work. Of course it only works in sunny areas, near the Equator, not everywhere and only on some types of boat. I'm not saying we'll see cargo ships becoming solar-powered in 10 years, it's impossible but there are a lot of possible uses." <br></br><br></br>And given its potential -- and appearance, PlanetSolar has attracted plenty of interest on its travels around the world. <br></br><br></br>SOUNDBITE 4: David (man) tourist (French, 3 sec): <br></br>"It's really beautiful, very elegant, impressive." <br></br><br></br>SOUNDBITE 5: Ibor (man) inhabitant of Calvi (French, 6 sec): <br></br>"There's no two ways about it. This is the future. No doubt about it." <br></br><br></br>The journey has helped open minds and change perceptions. <br></br><br></br>After seeing PlanetSolar, local authorities in the Galapagos have have promised to ban access to one of the islands to all boats except those powered by the sun. <br></br><br></br><br></br>SHOTLIST <br></br><br></br>Shoot location: Elba Island, Italy and Calvi, France <br></br>Date of shooting: 30/04/12 and 01/05/12 <br></br>(Source: AFPTV) <br></br><br></br>- Arrival in port of Portoferraio on Elba Island in Italy <br></br>- VAR PlanetSolar <br></br>- VAR crew of PlanetSolar <br></br>- Raphael Domjan near Swiss flag on boat <br></br>SOUNDBITE 1 <br></br>- VAR solar panels <br></br>- Arrival in port of Calvi on French island of Corsica <br></br>- VAR of PlanetSolar seen from above <br></br>SOUNDBITE 2 <br></br>- VAR of tourists on Elba Island taking pictures of the boat <br></br>- VAR of Erwann Le Bouzic piloting the boat <br></br>- VAR of PlanetSolar control panel <br></br>SOUNDBITE 3 <br></br>- VAR of boat interior <br></br>- VAR of world tour travelled <br></br>SOUNDBITE 4 <br></br>SOUNDBITE 5 <br></br>- VAR of PlanetSolar at sea <br></br>- VAR of boats coming to salute the boat