Solar Powered Yachts

Solar panels are a fundamental element of today’s quest for responsible energy generation. Used in households, commercial facilities, and power stations across the globe, they are also a vital source of energy for solar powered yachts. With significant progress made over the last years, photovoltaic technology has emerged as the natural energy source with the most exciting growth potential.

Thanks to photovoltaic cells, solar panels absorb sun radiation to generate direct current (DC). When sunlight reaches a solar cell, it causes silicon electrons to move. This motion will start the flow of electricity that is captured by wires and directed to an inverter. Inverter technology is then used to convert it to alternating current (AC) ready to power household appliances.

The solar power systems on solar powered yachts usually consist of solar panels, batteries, charge controllers and inverters. While batteries store the energy obtained from the solar panels, charge controllers prevent batteries from overcharging. Solar catamarans with house appliances on board will usually need to convert the DC energy into AC with the help of an inverter.

Sunreef Yachts produces solar panels in-house and uses a new (patent-pending) technology to integrate them within structural components. The panels are made of the industry’s most efficient cells with a peak performance of 24%.

Thanks to the solar cells’ outstanding flexibility, Sunreef Yachts’ solar panels can be mounted on any surface of the solar powered yacht. As a result, they are integrated with various areas on board, such as hull sides, mast, superstructure, bimini roof or bow terrace to maximize energy generation.

With a thickness below 1mm and weighing around 1,8 kg per square meter (average solar panels will weigh between 8 and 15 kg per square meter), they are one of the lightest solar power systems in the world. In addition, tests have proven that thanks to their advanced integration technique, Sunreef Yachts solar panels have a very high resistance to shock and abrasion. This allows them to be used on any surface, including hull sides.