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Solar Powered Yacht: Can Solar Generator Power A Yacht

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Solar Powered Yacht: Can Solar Generator Power A Yacht

Solar energy is already taking over land, with homeowners using sunlight to run their houses. Now solar-powered yachts are fast becoming the hottest new trend among yacht owners and boat builders. Instead of diesel-powered boats, yachting enthusiasts are choosing solar power to reduce carbon emissions.

The solar-power yachts not only eliminate the fuel cost forever but also make the cruising experience more peaceful due to noise-free operation. The number of watts the boat consumes varies depending on its size, particular needs, and the number of appliances you want to charge.

Fortunately, Jackery offers a wide range of solar generators to charge boats and various other electrical devices. In this guide, we will reveal everything related to a solar-powered yacht and how to power it.

What Is A Solar Powered Yacht?

A solar-powered yacht uses marine solar panels to generate electricity instead of fuel. The four primary components of a solar power system include solar panels, an inverter, a charge controller, and a battery. The rechargeable battery and solar panels in the solar system work hand-in-hand.

The solar panels attached to the power station convert the solar energy into electricity while the battery stores it. However, the system requires an additional component called a charge controller to ensure the battery does not receive high voltage.

The inverter converts direct current (DC) into alternating current (AC) to power devices like microwaves, TVs, fridge, or laptops on your yacht. You will have to buy these components separately and set up a solar power system on your boat.

Solar Powered Yacht Vs. Solar Generator For Yacht

As stated above, you will have to buy solar panels, an inverter, a battery, and a charge controller to assemble a solar-powered yacht. However, that’s not the case if you use a portable solar generator to power yachts and appliances.

Instead of four separate components, a solar generator consists of solar panels and a power station. The solar power station includes an in-built charge controller, inverter, and a rechargeable battery, so you don’t have to set up everything separately.

Below we FOCUS on the pros and cons of each powering solution.

• Solar panels
• Charge controller
• Inverter
• Rechargeable battery

• Eliminates the cost of using fuel.
• Less noisy than gas-powered boats.
• Use renewable energy to provide continuous charging.

• Adding multiple panels can be bulky.
• Space constraints.
• Large-capacity batteries can be expensive.

Solar Generator for Yacht

• Solar panels
• Portable power station (including a rechargeable battery, an inverter, and a charge controller)

• Reliable and safe solution.
• Easy to use and carry during outdoor adventures.
• Large battery capacity can work efficiently at night.
• Produce little to no noise.
• A cost-effective solution than a solar yacht.

May be less efficient on cloudy days.

Solar Powered Yacht

Yachts powered by solar energy are increasing in demand as they have a less environmental impact and do not emit harmful gases. Below we cover many more benefits and drawbacks of solar power yachts.

• Solar energy is limitless and free, ensuring you don’t rely on fuel.
• Solar-powered boats produce less noise compared to gas-powered ships. Thus, they cause less disturbance to marine life.
• You can power your yacht’s battery as long as the sun shines.
• Adding multiple solar panels can take up much deck space.
• Solar boats work well only on sunny days, especially if you have a small battery.
• The cost of a solar-powered yacht is high as there are four different components.
• Installing a solar yacht can be cumbersome without professional help.

Solar Generator For Yacht

Unlike solar-power yachts, a portable solar generator is an affordable and convenient option to charge boats. The lightweight, sturdy design and compact size of the solar generator make it suitable for short trips or extended cruises.

A solar generator consists of solar panels that convert sunlight into electricity and a rechargeable power station that stores it. Jackery Solar Generators are robust enough to meet the power needs of small and extended sails.

You can choose Jackery Solar Generator 1500 Pro or 2000 Pro to charge most yacht appliances for long hours. However, if you want to enjoy an extended cruise and power 99% of outdoor devices, you can choose Jackery Solar Generator 3000 Pro.

• Solar generators do not require any installation. All you need to do is connect the panels to the power station and start charging the yacht.
• They produce clean energy to reduce environmental impact and carbon footprint.
• As solar generators do not have any moving parts, they operate silently and require low maintenance.
• Multiple output ports enable you to charge numerous electrical devices simultaneously.

Solar Powered Yacht: Can Solar Generator Power A Yacht

Solar energy is already taking over land, with homeowners using sunlight to run their houses. Now solar-powered yachts are fast becoming the hottest new trend among yacht owners and boat builders. Instead of diesel-powered boats, yachting enthusiasts are choosing solar power to reduce carbon emissions.

The solar-power yachts not only eliminate the fuel cost forever but also make the cruising experience more peaceful due to noise-free operation. The number of watts the boat consumes varies depending on its size, particular needs, and the number of appliances you want to charge.

Fortunately, Jackery offers a wide range of solar generators to charge boats and various other electrical devices. In this guide, we will reveal everything related to a solar-powered yacht and how to power it.

What Is A Solar Powered Yacht?

A solar-powered yacht uses marine solar panels to generate electricity instead of fuel. The four primary components of a solar power system include solar panels, an inverter, a charge controller, and a battery. The rechargeable battery and solar panels in the solar system work hand-in-hand.

The solar panels attached to the power station convert the solar energy into electricity while the battery stores it. However, the system requires an additional component called a charge controller to ensure the battery does not receive high voltage.

The inverter converts direct current (DC) into alternating current (AC) to power devices like microwaves, TVs, fridge, or laptops on your yacht. You will have to buy these components separately and set up a solar power system on your boat.

Solar Powered Yacht Vs. Solar Generator For Yacht

As stated above, you will have to buy solar panels, an inverter, a battery, and a charge controller to assemble a solar-powered yacht. However, that’s not the case if you use a portable solar generator to power yachts and appliances.

Instead of four separate components, a solar generator consists of solar panels and a power station. The solar power station includes an in-built charge controller, inverter, and a rechargeable battery, so you don’t have to set up everything separately.

Below we FOCUS on the pros and cons of each powering solution.

• Solar panels
• Charge controller
• Inverter
• Rechargeable battery

• Eliminates the cost of using fuel.
• Less noisy than gas-powered boats.
• Use renewable energy to provide continuous charging.

• Adding multiple panels can be bulky.
• Space constraints.
• Large-capacity batteries can be expensive.

Solar Generator for Yacht

• Solar panels
• Portable power station (including a rechargeable battery, an inverter, and a charge controller)

• Reliable and safe solution.
• Easy to use and carry during outdoor adventures.
• Large battery capacity can work efficiently at night.
• Produce little to no noise.
• A cost-effective solution than a solar yacht.

May be less efficient on cloudy days.

Solar Powered Yacht

Yachts powered by solar energy are increasing in demand as they have a less environmental impact and do not emit harmful gases. Below we cover many more benefits and drawbacks of solar power yachts.

• Solar energy is limitless and free, ensuring you don’t rely on fuel.
• Solar-powered boats produce less noise compared to gas-powered ships. Thus, they cause less disturbance to marine life.
• You can power your yacht‘s battery as long as the sun shines.
• Adding multiple solar panels can take up much deck space.
• Solar boats work well only on sunny days, especially if you have a small battery.
• The cost of a solar-powered yacht is high as there are four different components.
• Installing a solar yacht can be cumbersome without professional help.

Solar Generator For Yacht

Unlike solar-power yachts, a portable solar generator is an affordable and convenient option to charge boats. The lightweight, sturdy design and compact size of the solar generator make it suitable for short trips or extended cruises.

A solar generator consists of solar panels that convert sunlight into electricity and a rechargeable power station that stores it. Jackery Solar Generators are robust enough to meet the power needs of small and extended sails.

You can choose Jackery Solar Generator 1500 Pro or 2000 Pro to charge most yacht appliances for long hours. However, if you want to enjoy an extended cruise and power 99% of outdoor devices, you can choose Jackery Solar Generator 3000 Pro.

• Solar generators do not require any installation. All you need to do is connect the panels to the power station and start charging the yacht.
• They produce clean energy to reduce environmental impact and carbon footprint.
• As solar generators do not have any moving parts, they operate silently and require low maintenance.
• Multiple output ports enable you to charge numerous electrical devices simultaneously.

How Many Watts Does A Yacht Use?

A watt is a unit that measures the rate at which electrical energy is used by an appliance, while an amp is the amount of electrical current flowing through the circuit. In simple words, electrical power is measured in watts, whereas amps measure the electric current.

Formula: Watts = Volts × Amps

The exact number of watts a yacht consumes will depend on several factors, including the boat’s size, the number and type of appliances, and the time you use them. However, you can expect a small yacht to consume nearly 500 watts. On the other hand, a larger boat may use more than 3000 watts.

Daily Navigation:

Total average consumption for daily navigation

Coastal Navigation:

Total average consumption for coastal navigation

Offshore Navigation:

How Much Does It Cost To Power A Yacht?

The cost you will spend to power your solar yacht will depend on vessel size, the energy you use, and the type of appliances you use on your boat.

A 200-watt solar panel can cost somewhere between 650-700. If you require 10 solar panels to power a 2000-watt yacht, you’ll have to spend approximately 7000. The additional components, like a charge controller, rechargeable battery, and inverter, may cost around 3000.

On the contrary, you can easily purchase a high-quality, marine-grade solar generator that generates similar power for around 3000-4000. That is half the total cost of installing a solar-powered yacht.

Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Pro is the ideal and affordable solar powering solution. You can purchase Jackery Explorer Generator 2000 Pro, two 200-watt SolarSaga Solar Panels, and a free carrying case at 3599 only.

How Much Solar Power Does A Yacht Need?

A solar yacht generally requires 500-5,000 watts of power, depending on its size. For example, if your solar-powered yacht consumes 1000 watts, you’ll have to install 5200 watts. On the other hand, if the boat requires 5000 watts of power, you have to install 25200 watts.

Fortunately, a solar generator saves deck space by reducing the number of solar panels. To power a yacht that consumes 1000 watts, you can choose Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Pro with a battery capacity of 2160Wh. It is compact in size and a portable solution to meet most power needs.

Below are the watt requirements of the yacht devices, so you can choose the right size solar generator.

Yacht Devices

Length of Time

Solar Power Needed

TOTAL WATTS USED

Why Would You Want One?

Borton is fully committed to solar power and a sustainable planet. He lives in a home powered by solar panels on the roof of his barn. “I didn’t just want to prove something,” he says. “I wanted people to have available a practical invention, one that is kind to the environment, and which could also be a commercial success.”

The first boats are being built at Belmont Boatworks near Belfast, Maine. Owner Dan Miller has already completed two more hulls that are waiting for customers. He says they will be ideal on lakes, especially ones with speed or horsepower restrictions. On many of those lakes, pontoon boats chug around all day long at around 5 knots but burning gasoline all the while. A Solar Sal 24 would fit right in, maintaining just the right pace to appreciate the scenery and while not scaring the wildlife.

If fishing floats your boat [pun intended], you can do it all day long at the ideal trolling speed of 4½ knots while consuming only photons, electrons, and bait. “The boat’s silence wouldn’t hurt your prospects or bother your neighbors,” Arthur Paine says. You also never have to worry about an explosion on board, something that is always a possibility with a gasoline powered boat.

Paine adds that while it is technically a powerboat, “It appeals to the sailor in me in that the boat is quiet, environmentally benign, and uniquely suited to a lifestyle remote from the concerns of the shoreside world because it doesn’t require a link to the electrical grid for recharging, and is therefore independent of fossil fuel. You could go exploring for weeks in the wilderness, without any concern about accessing the next gas pump or recharging station.”

Although the solar panels charge less vigorously on a cloudy day, according to builder Dan Miller from Belmont Boatworks the replenish rate is sufficient to go all day at five knots. “That’s familiar territory to a sailor.” Paine says. “Another similarity with sailboats is that most sailors I know are reputed to be parsimonious — a nice word for cheap. As fossil fuel becomes ever more expensive, Solar Sal’s owner gets to take a permanent pass.”

Paine thinks boats like this could be used as ferries in sun-washed places like the Bahamas. “There are many short ferry runs in the Bahamas where speed is unnecessary, and workers, townspeople, and tourists go back and forth all day long. Given the ample sunlight, a Solar Sal 24 could serve that route well. And you don’t even want to think about the price of gasoline [those places].” It is the first 100% solar powered boat to be approved by the US Coast Guard to carry passengers.

A Little History

Sustainable Energy Systems has previously built a handful of one-off wooden boats in different sizes. Solar Sal 24, a fiberglass production boat, is the next step. In addition to the prototype, two more hulls have been built and will be fitted out at Belmont Boatworks to the customer’s specifications. Borton is experimenting with a fifth model, a 16-footer that actually planes with a modest, 10 kW (13.5 HP) motor. His largest is a 44-footer that has been licensed by the Coast Guard to take paying passengers for rides on the Hudson River from its home port in Kingston, New York. Another of his boats, a 40-footer, made a cargo trip the length of the Erie Canal.

That is a key part of the story. A popular folks song back in the days when the Erie Canal was a thriving conduit for commerce featured these lyrics: “I’ve got a mule and her name is Sal. Fifteen miles on the Erie Canal. She’s a good old worker and a good old pal.”

The 40-foot-long Solar Sal Two actually carried cargo on a portion of the original canal, the first time a boat powered by the sun ever did the job that was originally assigned to mules. The name stuck. This video has some interesting historical photos to accompany the lyrics.

One of Borton’s concepts, a 27-footer built for Borton and his son, Alex, by Sam Devlin in Olympia, Washington, made the long passage through Alaska’s Inside Passage to Ketchikan and Glacier Bay. Even though bright sunlight is a rarity up there, Alex appreciated that as long as the sun rose, he did not need to worry about running out of gas.

People who own an electric car will relate to this next part. “It’s fun tracking the variables of an electric boat, basically a mix of watt-hours of stored potential in the batteries balanced with kilowatts of replenishment coming in from the roof. All electric boats have a “fuel gauge” in the form of a battery condition indicator. It’s up to the driver to select an appropriate combination of speed and range. A clever operator of a Solar Sal can trade speed for range. With enough patience, a solar-electric drive boat will always get home,” Borton says.

In Search Of A Sustainable World

Probably nothing illustrates the difference between a sustainable world and one that depletes natural resources faster than they can be replaced than a sailboat. When you are out on the water dependent entirely on the wind (or lack thereof), a bond develops between you and nature that simply cannot be replicated in any boat powered by an internal combustion engine. You will get there when you get there and no amount of oaths or carefully contrived invective will advance your progress one iota. A favorite expression among sailors is “We cannot control the wind. All we can do is adjust our sails.”

There is a benefit that comes from letting go of the constraints imposed on us by our fossil fuel powered environment and voluntarily submitting to the strictures of the natural world. It can provide us with a sense of tranquility and harmony and help us reconnect with nature in a way that is missing in much of our daily lives. Solar Sal 24 fits nicely with that vibe.

Hat Tip to Ken Anderson of Marblehead, Massachusetts, who first brought this story to my attention. Ken, Art Paine, and I grew up sailing on Narragansett Bay back when “I Like Ike” buttons were popular. It’s interesting how our early experiences intersect and loop back on each other over the passage of time.

I don’t like paywalls. You don’t like paywalls. Who likes paywalls? Here at CleanTechnica, we implemented a limited paywall for a while, but it always felt wrong — and it was always tough to decide what we should put behind there. In theory, your most exclusive and best content goes behind a paywall. But then fewer people read it! We just don’t like paywalls, and so we’ve decided to ditch ours.Unfortunately, the media business is still a tough, cut-throat business with tiny margins. It’s a never-ending Olympic challenge to stay above water or even perhaps — gasp — grow. So.

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Holistic design

On the other hand, it has lots of opening Windows, to allow a natural draught to do its job. “It’s a holistic approach – you can’t take the batteries and the drivetrain and drop it into another boat.”

Of course, using the propulsion system quickly takes its toll of the boat’s 140kW battery bank. The model on display at Cannes had two 135kW motors, giving you just half an hour of silent motoring flat-out, albeit at a top speed of over 20 knots. reasonable 30kW engines and a single-digit speed give you greater range. Nonetheless, the electric drive alone isn’t going to allow you to outrun a storm, or race home after a day at anchor, so the boat is designed to work with a generator hidden in the heavily insulated transom of its starboard hull. At cruising speed of around 5-6 knots, Köhler says there is rarely any need to use the generator, citing an owner who has just emailed him triumphantly about a second year totally generator-free. “In the end, you have to compare it to the performance of a sailing boat,” Köhler says. “It is as fast as a sailing boat in similar conditions – after all, there is no wind without sun.” He went so far as to tell me during the sea trial in Palma, Mallorca, that he believed the majority of sailors would happily dispense with the hassle of sails and a rig if only they could enjoy silent motoring and anchoring. “As soon as people realise the incredible concept of this boat, they won’t understand why they ever did anything else.”

The market does not seem to agree with him – yet. Sales of the boat have been good – they have already sold six, five of which are already in the water. But of those, four customers have taken the sail option, which means planting a 19.7m tall mast complete with boom and rigging slap bang in the middle of the coachroof solar array. “I was a bit amazed,” Köhler admits. “The shade from the rig reduces the energy generated by the solar area, while it costs more and is heavier, so consumes more fuel. Maybe it is for optical reasons.” In fact, the shade of the rig slashes the average yield of the solar panels in half. In the Med, that means around 30kWh per day. But perhaps it figures. The typical profile of buyers is an environmentalist who has a Tesla electric car and is “an early adopter who likes to have things before others”. And at low speeds, with modest use of the air-con, the reduced energy generation should still cover daily consumption.

Under sail

The performance under sail should be reasonable because of the lightweight build of the boat, its broad 8.47m beam and stub keels added to each hull. Control lines are led back via conduits in the coachroof to the flybridge helm station, to make single-handing under sail a possibility.

interesting, I think, is a sort of halfway-house option using a kite rig. This optimises the performance of the solar panels and gives plenty of propulsion. On the smaller 55 and the 64, Silent Yachts currently recommends a 19m2 kite that costs around €25,000 – a fraction of the cost of a new mast, boom, shrouds and sails. “The sail automatically makes a figure of eight above the boat, and you can steer it with a joystick or an app on an Android phone,” Köhler explains. “It can propel the 55 at up to 6 knots, even in light winds.” Perfect for an Atlantic crossing, then.

For the bigger Silent 79, which will hit the water in the summer, a commercial grade Sky Sail system needs to be used – a smaller version of the ones used on cargo ships. This kite can propel the boat at ten knots, but it costs more than ten times as much as its smaller cousin. Both are capable of pulling the boat upwind. So far, so new. But outside the novel energy and propulsion system, the Silent 55 aims to do what many other cruising catamarans are trying to achieve. “Most of our clients order for circumnavigation and long-term cruising,” Köhler says. So the boat is aimed to be as comfortable and capable as possible with watermakers, TVs and an induction hob that all capitalise on the boat’s abundant energy. A flexible configuration allows owners the choice of between three and six cabins – the latter designed for charter. The owner’s cabin lies forward of the saloon, under the Windows of the coachroof, which provide magnificent views and abundant natural light. There’s a walk-around bed and steps down into the starboard hull give access to an en-suite shower room and heads.

In my view, the best cabin lies aft of this, accessed in the traditional manner down steps out of the saloon. The king-sized bed lies athwartships and the shower is larger than that of the master cabin. There’s more space down here, better headroom and still plenty of light courtesy of the many hull lights.

The finish is good rather than spectacular, with a range of choices around woods and fabrics. The intention is to keep weight down by using laminate where possible, but owners can choose glass or porcelain fittings wherever they want. The 37m2 saloon is the star attraction on this boat, offering copious amounts of space for a well-equipped galley, a comfy dining or lounging area and a fully functional interior nav station.

It connects through sliding doors to the broad, uncluttered cockpit, which offers seating and a dining table with room for eight. A 4.5m tender can be slung from the underside of the bathing platform here, which can be raised and lowered hydraulically.There is more lounging space at the bow, where two little trampolines between the nacelle and the hull make comfy, if eccentric, nests. There are also cushions under the overhang of the coachroof.

On Trial

When I had the chance to sea trial the Silent 55, albeit in motorboat format, I jumped at it. It was a contrary autumn day on Mallorca with 15 knots breeze – just a shame, then, that this wasn’t one of the sailing configured versions.

To start with, getting on board is made really easy courtesy of deep boarding platforms on the skirts. She feels rather square because of that vast, glazed saloon with its deep overhang, and perhaps because of the utilitarian nature of the hard top, which is really about supporting more solar panels. Nevertheless, the side decks are broad and uncluttered. The space up top is designed to concertina down flat, hence the hydraulic rams, fold-down seat back and lowering console. It makes a great sailing position, though, with all round visibility, and is also perfect for sundowners at anchor. When the rain comes down, this feels quite exposed, but there is a fully sheltered helm at the front of the saloon, and it is also possible to drive the boat from anywhere using a tablet thanks to Smart electronics. Under power, the handling is superb. The quietness of the motors is astonishing, and I gather they’ll be inaudible on the next boat, which will do away with the gearbox. Even in the aft cabins, directly above the motors, there is no more than a distant hum. The boat responds instantly to the power and the wind seemed to have no impact at all. As with any propulsion system, the power consumption jumps as you pile on the speed – it was sobering to see. At 6 knots, both motors drew 10kW but at 8 knots it was closer to 30kW. I liked the huge saloon with its raised table for 360º views. And the sliding door and window gives great access aft, connecting the saloon and cockpit in fine conditions. The finish was Smart and in muted tones, feeling more Scandinavian than German.