Inspiration for the World Zero Carbon Challenge (WZCC) was in part this solar powered catamaran. The aim being to create a competition to accelerate development of clean boating and shipping.

The 'Turanor PlanetSolar' was the first solar powered boat to complete a world circumnavigation in May of 2012, in the process setting a Guinness Book record. But she was slow, crossing the Atlantic at a speed of 5.3 knots. A record that Energy Observer could not beat in 2020.

The boat was a catamaran fitted with moveable deck (solar) panels, on rollers to increase surface area.

In 2019, the United Nations, European Union and United Kingdom set out their plans for zero emission shipping by the year 2050. In 2021 the European Commission sanctioned Waterborne to oversee ZEWT funding to accelerate Zero Emission Waterborne Transport.

This was in response to the rising temperature of planet earth, causing global warming that melted ice caps, raised sea levels, created deserts and the extinction of thousands of species - in what became known as the Anthropocene Epoch.

The first solar boat to navigate the globe was sponsored by Immo Stroeher with Raphael Domjan as project lead.

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