MS Tûranor PlanetSolar: Inhabitat Reports Live from the World’s Largest Solar-Powered Boat

We're on a boat! Inhabitat is channeling our inner <a href="http://vimeo.com/18848658">Andy Samberg ft. T-Pain</a> this morning and reporting live from aboard the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/turanor-planetsolar-worlds-largest-solar-powered-boat-sets-transatlantic-speed-record/">world's largest solar-powered boat</a>, the <a href="http://www.planetsolar.org/">MS Tûranor PlanetSolar</a>. The massive 115-foot Swiss catamaran docked today at the North Cove Marina in downtown Manhattan as part of its <a href="http://inhabitat.com/worlds-largest-solar-boat-announces-trans-atlantic-trip-to-conduct-climate-change-experiments/">PlanetSolar DeepWater expedition</a> across the Atlantic Ocean to study the effects of climate change along the Gulf Stream. Read on to learn more about this impressive sun-powered vessel, and stay tuned for our exclusive photos.

The <a href="http://www.planetsolar.org/">MS Tûranor PlanetSolar</a> is the world's largest solar-powered boat and the first ever solar-electric vehicle to circumnavigate the globe.

Over 5,300 square feet of 93 kW PV panels line the surface of the catamaran, powering an electric motor with a maximum output of 120kW.

The Inhabitat editors actually stood on top of the boat and walked next to the solar array. As you can imagine, stepping on top of the PV panels is prohibited.

The panels, electric motor and 8.5 tons of lithium-ion batteries allow the PlanetSolar to travel the high seas using no gasoline and releasing no carbon emissions.

In 2012, the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/turanor-planetsolar/">PlanetSolar</a> completed its 19-month trip around the world, making it the only solar-powered vessel ever to do so.

Last month, the eco-vessel set sail once again, this time up the eastern seaboard and across the Atlantic Ocean, with a goal of collecting scientific data along the Gulf Stream.

New York is the boat's second stop after departing from <a href="http://www.planetsolar.org/deepwater/?p=1774&lang=en">Miami</a>, and it plans to dock at Boston, St. John's, Canada and Reykjavik, Iceland before reaching its final destination of Bergen, Norway.

A map of the Turanor's planned route for the DeepWater expedition.

Passengers aboard the PlanetSolar include Captain Gérard d’Aboville and crew, as well as a team of scientists led by Professor Martin Beniston, climatologist and director of the Institute of Environmental Sciences at the University of Geneva.

Captain Gérard d’Aboville and Professor Martin Beniston.

The team's mission is to, in the words of Professor Beniston, “navigate along the Gulf Stream and collect scientific data, from both water and air, in order to better understand complex interactions between the ocean and the atmosphere as well as the role of these interactions in climate change.”

Before embarking, the Turanor was outfitted with a new aerosol analyzer called the <a href="http://www.gap.unige.ch/biophotonics/biobox.htm" data-ls-seen="1">Biobox</a>, which will be used to determine the impact of aerosols on climate change and <a href="http://inhabitat.com/air-quality/" data-ls-seen="1">air quality</a>.

Denis Kiselev, the creator of the Plair Bio Box showed us his invention, which he keeps right next to his bunk aboard the PlanetSolar.

The on-board team will also examine how phytoplankton can regulate climate, and how the flow of the ocean can change due to density and temperature (thermohaline circulation).

The PlanetSolar's cook.

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The boat's bedrooms are cozy but efficient.

While out at sea, the solar panels can actually be expanded so that even more panels are exposed to the sun's rays, therefore collecting even more energy.

The captain at his helm.

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The boat's control room also has a small seating area.

The PlanetSolar's kitchen has all of the necessary tools to keep the crew fed.

A stairway leading from the main level to the lower level.

From left to right: Gérard d'Aboville – Captain of MS Tûranor PlanetSolar, Prof. Dr. Martin Beniston – Director of the Institute for Environmental Sciences and Group Leader of the C3i (Climatic Change and Climate Impacts Research), University of Geneva, Head of the PlanetSolar DeepWater Expedition, Nadine Olivieri – Deputy Consul General at Consulate General of Switzerland, and Sergej Mahnovski – The Director of the Mayor’s Office of Long-Term Planning and Sustainability