Are Solar Powered Boats Becoming a Reality?
Feb 28, 2023 7:01 am
Are Solar Powered Boats Becoming a Reality?
2 min read
Over the past decade, the price of fossil fuels has been increasing while the prices of solar products have been decreasing. This inverse relationship has caused a widespread flock away from fossil fuels and towards solar in the world of auto transportation. We may be starting to see that same shift in sea travel.
In 1975, Alan Freeman, from England, made the first ever solar powered boat, Solar Craft 1. The 2.5m catamaran had ten Lucas solar modules, each having 5 cells connected in series to produce 1.3W of maximum power. The Solar Craft weighed 17.2kg, with 3.2kg of that being the solar panels alone. By the 1990s, solar boat regattas were in motion and in 2007 a certain boat became the world’s first fully solar powered boat crossed the Atlantic Ocean. It had 48 solar panels, could run for about 20 hours on a full charge and had a top speed of about 11km/h.
Advantages of solar powered boats:
- Silent – according to the IMO (International Maritime Organization), studies have shown that underwater-radiated noise from commercial ships may have both short and long-term negative effects on marine life.
- Clean - NPR reported that every year, container ships emit about 1 billion metric tonnes of CO2, which is 3% of all greenhouse gases. Solar boats emit none.
- Little maintenance – it is estimated that electric boats have less than 1/20th of the maintenance cost of diesel boats in the first 10 years.
- Regeneration capacity – generate additional electrical power through sunshine and waves.
- Lightweight – electric propulsion system is about 30% lighter than a diesel system.
Disadvantages of solar powered boats:
- Limited range – petrol has 100 times the energy density of lithium-ion batteries, meaning if both boats have the same energy volume, petrol boats will be able to operate for a longer period.
- Upfront costs – according to Navalt, diesel/petrol ferries, with the same safety standards and amenities, cost about 88% as much as solar ferries to construct. With yachts, the price discrepancy can reach 31%.
Singapore based company, Azura Marine, is making solar powered ferries and water plastic waste collectors. They sell different models that can hold between 35 and 50 passengers. One of their models has a max speed of 9-10 knots, and a cruising speed of 4 knots with unlimited range. The 12.5m long ferry hosts 2 x 20kW motors and a 60kW battery.
Indian company, Navalt, built India’s first solar powered ferry. The ‘Aditya’ accommodates 75 passengers, has 2 x 20kW motors powered by a 20kW solar array. In 4 years, the Aditya has saved 130 000 liters of water and saved 330 tonnes of CO2 emissions. It costs about ₹2 crore (R4 097 219,93), while a similar diesel ferry costs about ₹1.55 crore (R3 178 259,18). Navalt did an analysis that yielded the following results:
Spanish company Silent-Yachts currently has 6 different models of solar yachts for sale. These yachts have cruising speeds of about 6-8 knots and top speeds of about 13-20 knots. Motor and battery options can range from 2 x 50kW motors and 143kWh batteries to 2 x 340kW motors and 286kWh batteries. On sunny days, they have virtually unlimited range as the solar array recharges the batteries. They can run for 185.2km a day on a single charge.
Solar boats are more of a longer-term solution as they still face cost barriers to making them more mainstream. Once that problem is solved, it will simply be a matter of widespread adoption as the benefits far outweigh the downsides.
Are there any solar powered boats you know of that I did not mention? Would you ride on a solar powered boat? Share your thoughts by replying to this email!
For more information on solar powered boats, or any other energy related articles, view the blog posts on my website and be sure to open my weekly emails every Tuesday at 9am CAT.
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