PlanetSolar starts in Australia relay for solar future

With their visit to the TÛRANOR PlanetSolar, on 30 May in Brisbane, 175 young Australian people aged between 6 and 25 launched the «PlanetSolar Relay For Hope». Image database

From one landing stage to the next, resident young people can present their visions and hopes for a solar energy driven world through essays, videos, music, drawing and models. Young people around the world can join the project also via internet. 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.

TÛRANOR PlanetSolar is the biggest solar yacht ever built. It 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. At each landing point young people will be invited to visit the MS Tûranor and to participate in discussions with the crew to experience the unusual adventure of the biggest solar boat in the world at first hand. 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.

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 them also to participate via Internet in the project (www.planetsolar.org).

Brisbane has been selected to officially launch the «PlanetSolar Relay For Hope» because of the massive natural disasters at the beginning of 2011. "With our expedition around the world, we want to demonstrate that the change for renewable energies is already taking place,” Cordula Ströher, initiator of the PlanetSolar Relay for Hope, explains. "We have been overwhelmed by the enthusiasm and passion the youth of Brisbane has displayed in sharing our vision for a solar world.”

“It is initiatives like the PlanetSolar Relay for Hope that ensure the next generation grow up environmentally conscious and understand the importance of striving for a solar world”, says Raphaël Domjan, project founder of PlanetSolar.

Despite the most challenging of weather conditions up to now, the MS TÛRANOR PlanetSolar continues on its round-the-world expedition and, with Brisbane, has now reached the Austrian continent. The last part of the Pacific crossing was marked by high sea swell, squalls and extremely difficult conditions, which the biggest boat in the world passed with flying colours, however.

In addition, the solar boat has already achieved two records: the fastest Atlantic crossing in a solar boat and the longest stretch ever travelled in a solar-driven vehicle.

The TÛRANOR PlanetSolar has made its goal the circumnavigation of the world while meeting the most stringent criteria - the so-called English conditions. To this end, the following criteria need to be met: starting point and destination of the expedition are identical, all lines of longitude will be crossed, the equator will be crossed twice and the antipodal line will be negotiated. The antipodal line circumscribes the exact point on the opposite half of the earth and is determined by continuing the line starting at the starting point through the geocentre to the other side of the globe. On its journey from New Caledonia to Australia the MS TÛRANOR has already twice met the required criteria, by passing the antipodal point and crossing the equator.