19th century French author Jules Gabriel Verne’s sci-fi vision has come to reality in the works of Jan Hamza – the modern day Captain Nemo. The latter, director of tour company European Water Transport, has designed and created the Czech Republic’s first and only solar-powered boat Elektronemo. The 3 million Kč ($149,000) boat is equipped with three solar panels that generate 2.2 kilowatts of power using a system of two suitcase-size electric motors. Thus, the boat keeps sailing for up to 10 hours, even when the sun is not there.
Hamza is critical of the Czech government for its indifference to the solar industry. Even his transport project garnered no governmental backing in terms of funding. Anyhow, the company’s fleet has still gone up with a solar boat i.e. Elektronemo, two steamboats and two hybrid-electric boats. Elektronemo has actually started operating at the Vltava this spring.
Via: The Prague Post