A pair of narrowboat owners have started an ambitious project to build a solar-powered passenger canal boat. The plan is to launch an all-electric boat to operate on the Ashby Canal in Leicestershire.

Developed in 2010, the MS Tûranor PlanetSolar is the largest solar-powered boat ever built. Its 500 solar panels can provide 120 kilowatts of energy, allowing the ship to travel around 5 knots.

The MS Tûranor PlanetSolar boat is covered by 500 solar panels. It's the largest solar-powered boat ever built. The ship is now used to help raise awareness about alternative energy solutions.

The boat has solar panels on its roof which charge batteries to power the boat's propulsion Since ... said the pontoon will make the trips more environmentally friendly, and enable wheelchair ...

the engineering and design team has taken the boat builder's signature craft, the solar-powered Loon, and re-thought it from stem to stern, water to sky. The result is a breakthrough design that ...