A November report in the BBC News indicates that a solar-powered boat has been developed and launched in the Philippines. http://tinyurl.com/52vyjys4

Aside: [I Googled this story and found no indication of coverage by any major U.S. news outlet online or otherwise.]

This is a solar-powered version of the “banca” boat, a traditional vessel typically made of wood and powered by a diesel engine, notorious polluters.

Stromness-based Aquatera, an Orkney company, said this was the first of its kind to be powered by renewables. The banca forms the backbone of coastal communities in the Philippines, providing lifeline sources of food, water, and livelihoods through tourism and fishing.

The new version can carry six passengers and two crew and travel up to five hours with a maximum speed of 11 knots. It has a cold-storage facility for the delivery of perishable goods and temperature-sensitive commodities, such as vaccines, to remote communities.

Ian Hutchison, director of Oceantera, said:

Through this initiative, we plan to work with local businesses, communities, and partners to help establish fossil-fuel-free transportation networks across the Philippines and wider South East [sic] Asia.

The project was included in the Renewable Energy-Powered Marine Transport for Island Communities project, funded by the United States Agency for International Development.

One small step for man ….