PlanetSolar: The World's Largest Solar Boat

PlanetSolar is the world's largest solar-powered boat. It completed the first solar circumnavigation of the globe and is a truly incredible feat of engineering and ambition.

The Stats

The numbers are staggering. PlanetSolar weighs 60 tons and is covered with 537 square metres of solar panels — that's 38,000 individual solar cells. The project cost around 18 million euros to build. It can reach speeds of up to 14 knots on solar power alone.

The boat is 35 metres long and 23 metres wide, giving it a distinctive catamaran shape that maximises the surface area available for solar panels. It carries enough battery capacity to sail through the night or through cloudy days.

Around the World

In 2012, PlanetSolar completed the first ever solar-powered circumnavigation of the globe, departing from Monaco and returning 584 days later. The journey covered over 60,000 kilometres — entirely on the power of the sun.

Why It Matters

PlanetSolar is not just a stunt. It is a proof of concept that solar energy can power large vessels over very long distances. The technology developed for PlanetSolar is already finding its way into commercial and passenger vessels.

This is exactly the kind of bold, ambitious project that pushes the boundaries of what is possible in sustainable boating. The future is solar — and PlanetSolar proved it.