Swiss teacher Louis Palmer has gone to great lengths to prove the power of clean energy: This year he drove around the world in a solar-powered taxi. The 17-month journey took him through Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Australia, and North America (he traveled some stretches by ferry). Palmer completed the trip Thursday. The car, with a top speed of 55 miles per hour, can be fueled by solar or battery power. Solar energy is harvested by the six square meters of panels towed behind the three-wheeled vehicle. Palmer's extensive trip caught the attention of policymakers such as U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, both of whom managed to snag rides with the carbon-fighting cabbie.
