Solar Boat is an electrical boat which is powered by Solar energy utilizing solar panels, batteries and other necessary electrical accessories. They are quiet, independent and clean engines. Here, batteries store free energy from the sun. The available sunlight is converted into electric power by solar cells which are temporarily stored in batteries. It is used to drive a propeller through an electric motor. Typically, power levels are within a few hundred watts to a few kilowatts. A specific solar boat can run on solar energy depends on its technical design, the amount of solar cells carried, the solar climate where it is based and its pattern of use.
There are very few grid connections on the seas and inland waters as well as along their banks. People living on inland waterway crafts, houseboats, sailing boats and space stations are dependent on batteries just like the owners of electrically propelled boats. But batteries sometimes discharge and need to be recharged. In this scenario, Solar Photovoltaic System may be one of the significant solutions. On a ship, solar panels can charge the batteries on the spot effectively utilizing free energy from the sun without polluting environment.
Electric motors are used in submarines and cruise ships for the momentum. Large passenger liners, aiming to provide maximum comfort of traveling, do not however store their energy in batteries but produce it by using many small diesel generators. They create noise and are not environmentally friendly technology. On the other hand, solar photovoltaic system generates electric power without any noise and environment pollution. This technology is reliable and durable.
Solar panels can be installed into the boat in reasonable areas in the deck, cabin roof or as canopies. Some solar panels, or photovoltaic arrays, can be flexible enough to fit to surfaces which is quite curved and can be ordered in unusual sizes and shapes. However, the weightier, inflexible mono-crystalline types solar panels are more efficient in terms of energy output per square meter. After installing solar panels on the boat or ship, the efficiency of solar cell decreases, because they must be covered in layers of plastic and transparent composites in order to make them protected to the destructive effects of seawater and variable temperatures. Therefore, it is important and advantageous to tilt the photovoltaic arrays.
