Solar Boats

Solar Powered Boats

Solar powered boats get their energy from the sun.  Using electric motors and storage batteries charged by solar panels and photovoltaic cells, solar powered boats can significantly reduce or eliminate their use of fossil fuels.  Solar boats are uniquely suited to transform light energy into movement. Environmentally friendly solar energy is an energy efficient way to power commercial oceangoing vessels as well as leisure boats.

Solar powered boats - Solar panels for power

 

Solar panels are solar systems that produce electricity directly from sunlight. Solar panels produce clean, reliable electricity without consuming fossil fuels. Solar panel systems are an excellent way to generate energy in remote locations (the oceans) that are not connected to the electric grid.

What are the benefits of solar panels?

 

1.)  Solar panels are highly reliable and easy to maintain. Solar panels have no moving parts, so visual checks and servicing are enough to keep systems up and running. Solar panels are built to withstand hail impact, high wind, and freeze-thaw cycles. Solar panel systems can produce power in all types of weather. On partly cloudy days, they produce as much as 80% of their potential energy. Even on extremely cloudy days, they can still produce about 25% of their maximum output.

2.)  Virtually no environmental impact. Solar panel systems burn no fuel and have no moving parts. They are clean and silent, producing no atmospheric emissions or greenhouse gases that are harmful to the earth

3.)  Modular and flexible in terms of size and applications. Solar panel systems can be built to any size in response to the energy needs at hand. They can be enlarged or moved easily.


Sources: U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, transatlantic21.org, solarsailor.com, news.bbc.co.uk

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