Photos: Solar boat trek--Switzerland to New York

A project called Transatlantic21 is almost ready to attempt the first crossing of the Atlantic Ocean--from Europe to the United States--in a boat driven by solar power.

Sun21 is a 14-foot catamaran that was built to show the potential of solar energy for water navigation. The 7,000-mile journey from Basel, Switzerland, to New York is expected to finish in the spring of 2007.

Solar power isn't the only alternative energy source getting a trial run on the high seas. The Earthrace Project is planning to enter a round-the-world competition next year with a powerboat that runs on biodiesel--fuel made from plants and animal fats.