World's first solar-powered transatlantic crossing a complete success

May 15, 2007 With the oil age slowly coming to an end, the key defining moment of the the 21st Century will likely be the human race's transition to renewable energy. And while we'll have to be dragged kicking and screaming from our dependance on fossil fuels, small groups of innovators are already paving the way toward the next step. In a giant leap towards unfuelled travel, a full-sized motorised catamaran, the "sun21," has just completed a leisurely crossing of the Atlantic ocean without consuming a drop of fuel. Stored solar energy powered the 5-man crew from Spain to the USA at a constant rate of 5-6 knots around the clock via electric engines. This is a major achievement - a reliable, long-distance, powered vehicle with zero fuel costs - and its successful journey hints at a cleaner, greener, cheaper future of transport.

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