Most amazing ‘around the world’ solar powered trips

Every now and then, we come across some incredible projects that aim to raise environmental awareness in a way or the other. Lately, we were talking about Planet Solar, the largest solar-powered boat, which will go on a round-the-world tour. Here we have some of the most amazing ‘around-the-world’ solar powered trips that focus on the importance of clean energy and aim to raise global environmental awareness.

1. The Breitling Orbiter:

After making a pioneering round-the-world flight in 1999, Bertrand Piccard is planning to recreate history. The aeronautical adventurer with his copilot Brian Jones toured the world on the Breitling Orbiter, the hybrid helium/hot air balloon that he is working on to implement his latest scheme. Piccard’s plans to circumnavigate the globe in a plane run by only solar power. The plan will travel using only energy derived from the sun, and stay aloft indefinitely. During night, the aircraft would remain airborne using battery power.

2. Mark Muller’s eco car:

Mark Muller, a Swiss engineer, has plans to go on a 40,000 km trip around the world in his car that’s powered just by the wind and the sun. Yverdon Engineering School is also supporting this green project called ICARE Project. They aim to complete the wonderful journey in this eco car without releasing even a single gram of CO2. Solar panels will power the electric motor during the day, and when it is dark, a wind-powered generator will do the needful.

3. Solartaxi:

Showing the world the present-day potential of alternative energy sources, a Swiss schoolteacher started his around-the-world drive in his “Solartaxi” in 2008. The low-slung two-seater has the look and feel of a sports car, but its top speed is only about 55 miles per hour. Louis Palmer, who started his journey from his hometown of Lucerne, Switzerland used flatbed trailer-sized panel of solar cells to power the vehicle. The 50% requirement of power came from the high-efficiency Q-Cells solar cells, while the other 50% energy came from the power sockets along his route.

4. Solar power campaign:

British cyclists have succeeded in completing a 13,500-mile around-the-globe circumnavigation. The ‘Solar Cycle Diary’ team’ organized the trip to raise awareness of the important role of solar power as part of the world’s energy future. The journey started from Tower Bridge, London, in May 2009 and took them through 14 countries, deserts and mountains to also raise money for SolarAid; the London based solar energy charity for the developing world. Their panniers were custom built with thin-film photovoltaic (PV) panels, to power the very latest in Nokia navigation, communications and sports technology.

5. The Sunship:

Folks at Solar Flight have come up with airship that will tour the globe. Dubbed as Sunship, it is designed to be as small as possible, but large enough to cross the Atlantic and Pacific oceans! Inspired by airships from the past that were safely capable of flying long distances with limited power plants, this Zeppelin intends to comfortably carry 3 people at lower altitudes, 2 people to medium altitudes, and one person at high altitudes, it is expected to break the current altitude record for airships of 24,000 ft.

6. PlanetSolar:

Pollution-free globe-trotting goes fabulously gigantic as the PlanetSolar – the world’s largest solar-powered catamaran came to life. The 102 feet long and 50 feet wide multi-hull vessel that took nearly 13 months to fabricate, shows itself with about 5,300 square feet of black photovoltaic solar panels that contains some 38,000 of SunPower’s next generation cells. The 18 million euro ($27.4 million) catamaran ably reaches a top speed of 15 knots or 27 kilometers per hour, and has a seating capacity of 50 passengers. Draped in white, the 24-1/2 feet high, futuristic Swiss catamaran built by Raphael Domjan, the sea-queen will undertake her first world tour in 2011.