Massachusetts startup floats a versatile new solar boat

A Massachusetts startup called Worden Marine is building boats that run on solar power alone, or with battery backup for cloudy days and nighttime cruising. The company's founder, James Worden, previously helped start MIT's Solar Electric Vehicle Team and co-founded an electric car company before turning his attention to the water about four years ago.

The first model, the TruSolar20, is a 20-foot boat topped with six solar panels that alone can push it to about eight miles per hour in good sun, with a battery boost getting it closer to 14 miles per hour. A larger version, the TruSolar40, is in development with 12 solar panels and room for up to 16 passengers, aimed at uses like ferry routes, water taxis, and tour boats. Builders used lightweight materials so the bigger boat weighs only about 9,000 pounds fully equipped. The company is working with the Coast Guard to meet certification standards for commercial passenger service.

This isn't a product homeowners can buy for personal use right now — Worden Marine hasn't closed any sales yet and is still in talks with potential customers, mostly for commercial routes and tours. But it's a sign of how far solar-and-battery power has come outside the usual rooftop-panel and home-battery setups, showing the same basic technology many homeowners already use to cut electricity bills can now move a boat as well as a house.