Taiwan-based, Horizon Group, is developing a series of zero-emissions, solar powered boats. The first boat in the program is the stylish SunCat 23, a 23-foot, open deck catamaran. The SunCat, which will be powered by a 2.8 kilowatt electric outboard motor, is capable accommodating twelve passengers at 6 knots.
The boat’s engine will be powered by a battery bank that will be charged by 4 solar panels capable of producing 760 watts of solar energy. On a full charge, the batteries will power the boat for a typical day trip. Horizon’s next addition to the solar line will be the SunCat 46 — a small, luxury multi-hull yacht.
At a top-end cruising speed of 6 knots, the SunCat will not be pulling any water skiers. No word on how long the batteries take to fully charge in direct sunlight. You may not want to get too far out to sea. Gilligan’s Island?
source: marine business news
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Those 4 panels look like they’d make little impact on the batteries of such a massive boat. This looks like an electric boat with solar panels for emergency charging; I’d be extremely surprised if the boat didn’t need charging by mains power.
The boat is only moving at 6 knots (about 7 mph). It is amazing to begin creating solar powered boats, but how many people will buy a boat who’s top-end cruising speed is 7 mph?
A solar powered boat can be powered either with direct solar, batteries or diesel/gas engine, in any combination. These boats can cruise at a lower speed that is supplied by batteries and/or photovoltaic cells powering an electric motor and for added speed the generator can kick in to augment the available electric power to cruise at higher speeds. Designed properly, they can be very versatile.
Photovoltaic panels should have better efficiency to power boats like catamaran or trimaran. Trimaran and Catamaran are more suitable for solar panels due to higher deck area. The boats also have finer hulls which consume less energy but are able to move fast.