Everything under the Sun!

Well, OK, not everything.

However, here are some solar energy projects representing solar-powered transportation by land, sea and air.

The first (by land) is by the brother of an acquaintance.

(Battery bank under the hood)

Here's what she (my acquaintance) had to say about it:

"This year's project was to convert an old El Camino truck to an electric car. One of the challenges was, when he finally loaded all 48 lithium batteries under the hood, the old springs sagged and the front end dropped so the roof of the wheel well was just above the tire. A neighbor hauled it off to a guy, who knew a guy, and the new stiffer springs did the trick - adequate lift. Well, it works. Saturday, we took a load of recyclables to the dump."

Check it out: Electric El Camino

Next up (by sea) is the PlanetSolar project.

(Artist's depiction)

From their website:

"In 2010, the first round-the-world trip powered by solar energy will be realized, with stopovers, along the equator, where the maximum amount of sunlight is available. The over 40,000-km voyage will last 120 days, for an average speed of 10 knots. PlanetSolar's two-man crew will cross the Atlantic Ocean, the Panama Canal, the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean and finally the Suez Canal, to return to the Mediterranean. After a roadshow with the village that will cross Switzerland in 2009, the boat will stop in cities like Monaco, Paris, Marseille, Dubaï, Abu-Dhabi, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Hambourg, New-York and San Francisco."

And last (by air), but not least, the Solar Impulse project:


"The Solar Impulse project...aims to have an airplane take off and fly autonomously, day and night, propelled uniquely by solar energy, right round the world without fuel or pollution."

Speaking of solar energy, I'm off for some "fun in the sun"...