Congratulations! India's First Solar Powered Floating Store Launches in Kerala

The state of Kerala in South India is a beautiful place. It has backwaters (canals for non-Indians) and is green throughout. The residents of the state have a passion for watercraft because of the many canals and the long coast. I have fond memories of the place as I have relatives in Kozhikode and friends in Fort Cochin, Palghat, Ayalur, Nemmara, Ochera etc. And if you can excuse the constant strikes that plague the state thanks to its Communists, it can actually be a nice place to spend some time in.

But let's leave the negative stuff out. I posted a link some time ago to a solar powered ferry-boat built in the state on this blog. Now, the idea has been taken further: A solar powered store is due to sell various goods to communities living along the backwaters: http://www.ecofriend.org/entry/eco-tech-india-gets-its-first-ever-solar-powered-floating-supermarket/ It is a bit of a stretch to call this a "supermarket," but I do think that the promoters of the floating Thriveni Superstore, the Kerala Government owned Kerala State Cooperative Consumers Federation Ltd, have much to pat themselves on the back for. Everyone involved in this project deserves kudos.

Some Very Positive News from India: A Solar Powered Pontoon Boat Design

Autoblog Green has this entry (along with two videos which are well worth watching) of a ride on a solar powered pontoon boat designed by Navgathi Marine in India: http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/02/18/solar-powered-pontoon-boat-gets-official-thumbs-up-w-video/ The design impressed a British engineer who heads a green boat design group and was filmed when he was invited for a test ride. Unfortunately, the videos do not have much information - or views for that matter - of the Navgathi designs.

The Navgathi website, too, has only illustrations of their 6.2 meter Sunrider design: http://sunrider.navgathi.org/ Hopefully, we shall have more news very soon. Congratulations, Navgathi, and very best wishes! I am always as optimistic about Indian engineers as I am critical of the Indian government and bureaucracy - tell me, after this, if I am wrong in any way!