SOLAR ENERGY IDEAS: MARINE

Marine vessels are one of the most sensible platforms for Solar Energy as it has a lot of uses and benefits. You can run it on any kind of vessel you so please, whether that be on sailboats or small and large vessels. As we sail into this blog, it is important to note that solar power has come a long way towards becoming not only a backup option, but the main power source for many marine vessels.

First, let us start off with why you would want to go solar for Sailboats. The conventional method of generating power on sailboats are by way of hydroelectric/wind generators, or fuel cells. Recently however, solar power has become a proven system for all sailboats as they are cleaner, adaptable, have substantial output, and are silent. Pair this with an onboard battery and a solar charge controller, and depending on your panels’ power output, you could run your instrumentation, electrical navigation, and personal electronics with ease. In this scenario, not only are you remaining completely energy independent, but you are also doing your part to help the environment by choosing not to run your gas/diesel generators.

Next, let us look at mid-length marine vessels such as your pontoons and riverboats. These boats typically come with onboard generators as well as gas-powered propulsion systems such as jet or propeller-driven motors. This is paired with one or two batteries with an alternator to give your vessel adequate power to run onboard electronics, navigation, and other necessary equipment. What if we were to tell you that you could use solar panels as one of the main ways of powering your vessel. While you still need a motor to propel your vessel, the type of solar panel you get can help alleviate the amount of work your engine has to do overall. So instead of running your motor, let your solar panels do the majority of the heavy lifting to produce enough power to keep your batteries charged, while also powering onboard appliances, navigational equipment, and other instrumentations.

Lastly, let us look at larger class vessels. These types of vessels are great for installing solar as they have a lot of real estate for placing more than one solar panel at a time. Running panels in conjunction with one another is a great way to maximize auxiliary power and will increase your versatility while out at sea.

In order to determine which solar panels to get for your vessel, you’ll need to calculate the amount of wattage your vessel currently uses to operate, as well as how much space you have to mount these panels. Once that’s done, multiply it with the number of hours you use said systems on your boat to give you a good idea of what panels you may need.

Solar power has come a long way over the years, and we have no doubt that marine vessels will eventually be powered entirely by the sun’s energy. If you would like to learn more about our marine solar panels, please visit our Marine Collection, where we have some of the best solar panel options no matter your marine application needs.