India's first solar-powered catamaran-type ferry in Kochi

Kochi has begun to operate India's first solar-powered ferry and wants Central subsidy to procure 10 more of the solar-powered catamaran-type ferries for Kochi and Alappuzha. The 75-seater ferry was introduced into service a month ago in the Vaikom-Thavanakadavu route and has provided impetus to the demand for solar-powered ferries in other routes.
The Centre had given 50 per cent subsidy for the vessel that cost approximately ₹2 crore.
This has been reported in thehindu.com dated 18 February 2017.

The normal subsidy of the center is 30% and, in view of the success, efforts are on to get 100% subsidy for the vessels proposed. Suitable changes could be incorporated in design, considering the difference in condition of water bodies in Kochi and Alappuzha because there is an acute shortages of ferries in these regions. Two partly air-conditioned ferries are under construction at two private yards at Aroor and these are expected to join the fleet shortly.
The daily operating cost of each ferry would be about ₹200 (equivalent to 20 units of power) as compared to ₹8,000 for conventional ferries. This would mean savings of approximately ₹2.5 lakh per vessel per month. Moreover, the solar ferry is more stable than regular ferries because of it has twin hulls and it weighs 17 tonnes as compared to 35 tonnes of other ferries.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

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Prime Minister Modi to flag off a fleet of 11 e-boats in Varanasi to make the city pollution free

Prime Minister Modi to flag off a fleet of 11 e-boats in Varanasi to make the city pollution free Varanasi is the constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and, in order to make the holy city free of pollution and also free from congestion, he will be dropping in on the city to distribute e-boats to the boatmen – it will be a first for the country.
This has been reported in zeenews.india.com dated 28 April 2016.

The move is being seen as PM Modi's first direct outreach to the famed boatmen of the holy city. He will flag off a fleet of 11 e-boats on May 1. Before the flagging off, he will have an interaction at one of the Ganga ghats with boatmen from the nishad community.
Ultimately, all the traditional row boats in Varanasi will be replaced by 3,000 medium-sized battery-operated boats within the span of a year. The batteries would be solar powered and the boatmen can steer the boats with ease. At the end of the day, boats will be 100% green with diesel engines gone. Moreover, the e-boats will be noiseless.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

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Solar Impulse 2 creates history - crosses the Pacific Ocean after 62-hours non-stop flight

Solar Impulse 2, the solar-powered aircraft piloted by Pilot Betrand Piccard has completed a crossing of the Pacific Ocean after a 62-hour non-stop flight and has landed in Mountain View outside San Francisco - it had traveled from Hawaii on the latest stage of its journey around the world.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 24 April 2016.

Solar Impulse 2 had started its journey from Abu Dhabi in March last year and had made stops in Oman, Myanmar, China and Japan. However, the Pacific leg was the most dangerous part of the journey since there was lack of places to make a landing in an emergency.
Anyway, before landing, the solar powered aircraft carried out a fly-by over the Golden Gate Bridge and the pilot Betrand Piccard proudly announced - 'I crossed the bridge. I am officially in America.'
The normal speed of the plane is around 28mph (45kph) but it can reach double that speed when the sun's rays are strongest. Moreover, the wings of the carbon-fibre aircraft stretches wider than those of a Boeing 747 and are covered with 17,000 solar cells that power propellers and charge batteries. At night, it runs on stored energy.
The Solar Impulse 2 had arrived in Hawaii in July but had to stay put there because the plane's battery system had sustained heat damage on its trip from Japan and had to undergo repairs.


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