By now the race for the best solar powered car in the world has become an annual racing event that is as famous as any other racing sport and attracts huge attention in Australia each year. But racing solar powered boats is not all that popular as of yet and it only seems to be starting out in few parts of the world. The reasons are pretty obvious, with solar powered boats being a lot less commercially viable in the long term than cars that derive the juice from the photovoltaic panels. But that does not mean that people are giving up on them just yet.
“Photon” is a solar boat that has had five versions in six years and has successfully participated in the Solar Splash race year after year since 2003. The team of engineers from Ecole de Technologie Superieure (ETS) has crafted a new machine each year for the race with phenomenal success and has made this difficult science look both simple and elegant. (They are French!) The boat in its fifth edition looks really cut out in to a sleek and fast machine that follows sound principles of fluid dynamics and racing.
The Photon V is powered by the standard 52V solar battery and an electrical brushless motor, which has an efficiency of 70%. The boat is powered by photovoltaic cells that are standardized to meet the requirements of the race. The race is pretty tough and runs both in the endurance and sprint categories, and the Photon has traditionally done exceedingly well in both. Its light design, simple shape and effective engines powered by the solar panels make it a serious competitor each time it sets hull in water. Now if only we could translate this in to commercial technology, it would both be useful and beautiful.
Via: Photon
