Renewable energy on yachts

Article by Andrzej Cebrat for the magazine Szkwal.

Renewable energy is part of everyday life for sailors, they continuously have to deal with wind, sun and water which are precious sources of inexhaustible energy.

For this reason, the use of alternative energy on board of yachts and boats should be taken into serious consideration. Solar panels are an effective and useful choice, they take up little space, are quiet and less vulnerable. The actual amount of energy produced by the panels depends on several factors such as the active surface of the panel, the conversion efficiency of solar energy into electrical energy and shading, to name a few. The on-board installation can be done in various ways and depends mainly on the type of panels, rigid or flexible. The first one is not the best solution since it requires an ad hoc structure that worsens the properties of the yacht both on a structural and aesthetic level. A much more effective option is represented by flexible panels that are more adaptable, lighter and safer, they are walkable and in winter or just in case of bad weather, they can be easily removed and stored indoors. The Italian company Solbian Energie Alternative produces flexible panels that can be mounted directly on the deck and come with various fixing methods such as Stailess Steel eyelets, Tenax or zip.

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