Courtesy of PlanetSolar

Monaco - May 03, 2012

PlanetSolar is just about to reach its goal!

The solar catamaran is expected to arrive in Monaco early in the afternoon on Friday May 4th.

After crossing the finish line, the crew will participate in an official welcome ceremony.

Photo courtesy of PlanetSolar

Raphaël Domjan, project founder, will tell the story of the adventure’s highlights.

Part of the party, such as the “SolarLightShow” or the concert of the Swiss band Sonalp, will be powered by the energy of the boat’s batteries collected during more than 19 months of sunny navigation.

Courtesy of PlanetSolar

Politicians, project partners, families of the crew as well as the public and media will make for a big turnout in celebration of the success of this unique eco-adventure that has proven the huge potential of solar energy.

Photo courtesy of PlanetSolar

Indeed, the MS Tûranor PlanetSolar will have sailed almost 60’000 km over all oceans with solar energy only.

Be part of it !
Part of the program is opened for the public.


PlanetSolar on its way to Monaco


The MS Tûranor PlanetSolar, the world's largest solar boat ever built and supported by IMMOSOLAR, will complete its journey around the world on May 4th in the Hercule harbour of Monaco.

PlanetSolar leaving Goa to Mumbai Photo courtesy of PlanetSolar

In order to celebrate the success of this unique project, a celebration weekend is planned on May 4th, 5th and 6th in the Hercule harbour in Monaco.

PlanetSolar leaving Ismailia Photo courtesy of PlanetSolar

After crossing the finish line, the team will be participating in an official arrival ceremony with Swiss and Monegasque personalities.

Several events will be organized to support the festivities.


PlanetSolar Competition: Imagine A Solar World


The team of TÛRANOR PlanetSolar, the biggest solar yacht ever built, launched the «PlanetSolar Relay For Hope», a relay from one landing stage to the next, in which resident young people present their visions and hopes for a solar energy driven world through essays, videos, music, drawing and models.

PlanetSolar leaving Abu Dhabi Photo courtesy of PlanetSolar

TÛRANOR PlanetSolar is currently sailing around the world powered only by solar energy with the mission to show that technologies in the renewable energy sector are already very reliable today.

PlanetSolar leaving Mumbai, 02.12.2011 Photo courtesy of PlanetSolar

IMMOSOLAR as official partner of PlanetSolar understands the project as a unique opportunity to promote renewable energy and to sensitise future decision makers to reflect on what a ‘solar’ world would be like, without petrol or fossil fuels.

PlanetSolar leaving Goa Photo courtesy of PlanetSolar

At each landing point young people are invited to visit the boat and to participate in discussions with the crew to experience the unusual adventure at first hand.

PlanetSolar in Abu Dhabi port Photo courtesy of PlanetSolar

On the conclusion of the voyage, all works that were created will be given to politicians and representatives from the United Nations to signify the children of the world’s vision for a solar planet.

PlanetSolar in the Red Sea Photo courtesy of PlanetSolar

To be able to reach children and young people around the whole world the initiators of the «PlanetSolar Relay For Hope» seek direct contact to schools, families and students and invite the future decision makers to participate via Internet in the competition «Imagine A Solar World».

PlanetSolar in the Red Sea port Photo courtesy of PlanetSolar

About PlanetSolar


PlanetSolar was initiated by the Swiss Raphaël Domjan and has its headquarters in Yverdonles-Bains, Switzerland.

PlanetSolar in Calvi, 31.03.2012 Photo courtesy of PlanetSolar

The MS Tûranor PlanetSolar, built in Kiel, Germany, is a catamaran powered exclusively by solar energy.

PlanetSolar in Calvi, 31.03.2012 Photo courtesy of PlanetSolar

It is covered with 537 m2 of photovoltaic panels.

After two years of design and construction, PlanetSolar is behind many technological advances, especially in the field of composite manufacturing and storage of solar energy.

PlanetSolar crossing Suez Canal, 31.03.2012 Photo courtesy of PlanetSolar

PlanetSolar is primarily funded by private partners, the Swiss watchmaker Candino and German specialist in energy management IMMOSOLAR, but also by public institutions, including the Swiss Confederation, with “Presence Suisse”.

PlanetSolar crossing Suez Canal, 31.03.2012 Photo courtesy of PlanetSolar

Moreover, PlanetSolar uses weather forecasts offered by MeteoFrance.

PlanetSolar crossing Suez Canal, 31.03.2012 Photo courtesy of PlanetSolar

An innovative software has been developed specifically for this expedition with the support of the HEIG-VD in Yverdon and the French society ADRENA.

Photo courtesy of PlanetSolar

Features of the MS Tûranor PlanetSolar

Length: 35 meters length / Width: 15 meters

Height: 6.1 meters / Weight: 95 tons

Solar cells: 38’000 with a output of 22.6%

Maximal power of the engine: 120 kW

Average consumption of the engines: 20 kW (26.8 HP)

Crew: minimum 4 people

More info: www.planetsolar.org  

Solar deck Photo courtesy of PlanetSolar

Section A-A Photo courtesy of PlanetSolar

Lower deck Photo courtesy of PlanetSolar

Scientific Team

Scientific Team Courtesy of PlanetSolar

Onshore Team

Onshore Team Courtesy of PlanetSolar

On board crew


Raphaël Domjan
Swiss
Initiator and Expedition Leader of PlanetSolar

PlanetSolar’s 39-year-old founder is a man of conviction.
Raphaël Domjan came up with the PlanetSolar concept, and he has done everything possible since to turn his dream into reality.

	Raphaël Domjan

Someone who genuinely dabbles in everything, Raphaël Domjan wears several hats and takes part in numerous activities that are closely connected to man and nature.
He is an ambulance driver, a high mountain guide, a rescue specialist in perilous environments, and more.
Passion is what drives him on!

The PlanetSolar project – an extraordinary technological and human challenge – is also an expression of the world view held by Raphaël Domjan and the team he has built around him: the belief that our planet deserves a better, brighter and less polluted future.

Future technologies must be keenly investigated and solutions must be found.
The project will help to motivate engineers and scientists to develop innovative technologies, inspire people around the world and show that the impossible can become possible.


Erwann Le Rouzic
French
Captain/Master

Erwann Le Rouzic is an experienced professional sailor, starting his career at sea in 1991, sailing on different cruise vessels since 2001.
Parallel to his professional career, he pursued his passion for the sea on sailboats.

	Erwann Le Rouzic

He calls on various and diverse sailing experiences as skipper and mate including National & International Sailing Races in France, offshore sailing including a 60 day Transatlantic crossing as Skipper in 2002, and ocean voyage from Canary Islands to France.

Erwann Le Rouzic follows Patrick Marchesseau on PlanetSolar in New Caledonia for the next legs.
For the continuation of the tour he will share the Master’s responsibility with Patrick.

Erwann Le Rouzic:
“I am very excited to join this fantastic project that I see has a legacy to Jules Verne, the famous writer who was born in the Atlantic city of Nantes in France like me. I am thrilled and proud to have the opportunity to contribute to the change towards renewable energies.”


Patrick Marchesseau
French
Captain

Patrick Marchesseau (43) is an experienced professional sailor who started his career at sea in 1988. He is a reserve officer of the French Navy.
He has been sailing on different cruise vessels since 1991.

	Patrick Marchesseau

Marchesseau was captain of the French cruise ship LE PONANT when it was kidnapped by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden in spring 2008.

Patrick Marchesseau decided to take part in the first solar boat expedition around the globe because he wants to prove that you can sail around the world using only energy generated by the sun.

He says: “It’s a technological challenge I want to participate in.”


Jens Langwasser
German
Bosun

Born in Rostock, Jens is part of a long line of seafarers and sailors, constantly seeking success in yacht races.
Jens followed in his ancestors’ footsteps, starting out in an Olympic dinghy then progressing to 50 to 80-footers in round-the-world races and X boats.

	Jens Langwasser

He trained at a Lübeck shipyard to become a boat builder, then moved to Knierim in Kiel, where he now works as a project manager.
Jens has a strong marine heritage so he carries the title of “bosun” – or boatswain – on board the MS TÛRANOR PlanetSolar.
The boatswain on board the old square riggers was the person in charge of running the show on deck – they had to know the ship inside out from bow to stern.
Jens was head of the construction team and project manager of MS TÛRANOR PlanetSolar at the boat building yard Knierim Yachtbau in Kiel, Germany.
He was involved right from day one: from the initiation, when several design plans needed assessment, and the actual construction, to the launch and the first test drive.

He put a total of 68,000 man-hours into the boat, mastering a real challenge for the shipyard to construct the MS TÛRANOR PlanetSolar within a remarkable 16 months.

Jens says:
“PlanetSolar was probably one of the most challenging and unusual projects we have ever had at the yard. After 16 months of intense work and thinking, the project turned into some kind of ‘special boat’, a special creation. I am delighted that I will actually experience the boat on the round-the-world trip now, so I can witness how everything works out at sea.”


Christian Ochsenbein
Swiss
Energy Management

A real mountain boy, Christian grew up in the Swiss city of Thun overlooking the famous Eiger mountain.
Nonetheless, he has been exposed to water, shipping and navigation ever since his father worked as a chief technician in the shipyard on Lake Thun.

	Christian Ochsenbein

In and around the lake, he experienced the pleasures and challenges of yachting, hiking, diving and swimming.

For 18 years, Christian trained actively and regularly for the 100 m and 200 m breaststroke, participating in the Swiss Championships and winning the bronze medal twice in the finals.
In 2008, he graduated as an electrical engineer.

Despite a new job offer, in the summer of 2010 he decided to join the MS TÛRANOR PlanetSolar expedition as head of energy management.

Christian says:
“I have always taken a special interest in environmental and international affairs, seeking solutions that could bring about improvements. This curiosity combined with my profession as a technician makes the PlanetSolar project very interesting indeed. The mission of MS TÛRANOR PlanetSolar is to demonstrate and highlight potential technological solutions to our global energy issue. It could make a difference and I find this real-life case study extremely interesting.”


SOURCE:

IMMOSOLAR
http://www.immosolar.com/en/home/news

PlanetSolar
http://www.planetsolar.org  



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