Solar boats are not only for record attempts. On the Spree in the middle of Berlin, a 36.5-metre catamaran takes tourists and event groups through the city centre almost silently and with zero local emissions.
The SunCat 120 was built entirely of aluminium by the Kiebitzberg shipyard in Saxony-Anhalt and christened in June 2020. It is operated by Stern und Kreis / SolarCircleLine, with support from Berlin’s Senate department for mobility. A sister ship followed shortly after.
The roof carries 78 m² of solar modules. The energy is stored in a modular high-voltage lithium battery system from aentron (made in Germany, built from 10 kWh modules) that charges from both the sun and shore power. Fully charged, the boat can cruise for up to 14 hours. There is room for up to 180 passengers, with a walk-around deck, upholstered seating and a covered bar at the stern.
It shows how solar propulsion is quietly moving into everyday commercial shipping, where slow speeds, fixed routes and big roofs are a perfect match for the sun.
Technical data
| Builder | Kiebitzberg shipyard, Saxony-Anhalt (Germany) |
|---|---|
| Operator | Stern und Kreis / SolarCircleLine, Berlin |
| In service | Christened June 2020 |
| Hull | All-aluminium catamaran, 36.5 m |
| Solar | 78 m² of modules on the roof |
| Battery | aentron high-voltage lithium system (10 kWh modules), solar + shore charging |
| Endurance | Up to 14 hours |
| Capacity | Up to 180 passengers |
Photo (cropped): Molgreen / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Sources: Stern und Kreis · Solarserver · pv magazine