New hybrid solar boat to sail along BD rivers

CHATTOGRAM, Feb 19: A hybrid boat is going to be launched soon which will sail along the rivers of Bangladesh.
It will be operated by using solar and wind energy, instead of any conventional petroleum fuel like diesel or petrol.
Rahimafrooz Renewable Energy and Chattogram-based Taratari Shipyard are jointly introducing the boat named 'Sunflower', which is locally known as Kayak, on a pilot basis.
It is for the first time in Bangladesh that a kayak has been constructed which is equipped with a hybrid system combining solar and wind energy, Taratari Shipyard's Managing Director Yves Marre told a press conference at Chattogram Press Club here on Tuesday.
Mr. Marre, a French-born Bangladeshi citizen who designed the boat, said the two companies have a plan to introduce the hybrid boat across Bangladesh. He informed the press conference that a kayak has sailed across Bangladesh from its border with India to Hatya Island in the Bay of Bengal in Bangladesh territory.
The new boat has been sailing for the last one year along the mythical rivers like Brahmaputra, Jamuna, Ganges (Padma) and Meghna to examine its potential and found to be commercially viable.
The Sunflower kayak crew Dorpon Chakma and Shaikh Monowar Ahmed, head of EV (electric vehicle) project from Rahimafrooz Renewable Energy Ltd., also briefed the journalists about how the boat is powered by using solar energy, new technology batteries and its technical sustainability.
Rivu Dewan, general manager of Taratari, also answered queries on business development.
They said the Sunflower is the first of its kind showing immense possibilities of using combined renewable energy and the positive impact it can have on inland water transport without fossil fuel and carbon emission, and on sustainable entrepreneurship and employment opportunities.
They said the new boat will open a new era of energy saving, energy efficiency and optimism in climate mitigation.

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