Why Solar Powered Yachts are a Prudent Choice For 2021
Why Solar Energy Is Heating Up
Solar energy has commonly been used to power energy systems, but only over the past five years have solar-powered yachts has become commonplace in the marine industry. The first solar yacht made its first debut in 2010, and ever since then using solar to power appliances onboard has become increasingly popular. According to the National Geographic solar energy use has surged at approximately 20 per cent a year over the past 15 years.
Solar yacht accessories have provided a platform to demonstrate the merits of solar power and made it easy to reap the sun's heat and energy benefits. The optimal way of harnessing solar power onboard is by opting for a solar roof. The energy is entirely carbon-free, and the silver lining is that it is free to use.
Greenline's Forecast On Emerging Solar Power Trends on Yachts
Apart from increased accessibility and availability, we can expect solar power products to continue to adopt smart tech and energy-efficient tools to harness every kilowatt of solar energy. The use of utility management software has provided us with the means to do so. More solar panels being manufactured means that the material's process and cost have become more efficient, thus lowering the price. Our top five forecasts for emerging trends within the solar energy in the marine industry are:
- Solar powered yacht holidays resorts- pre-engineered solution that includes the docking area with several solar electric yachts serving as floating sustainable villas for guests and other accompanying infrastructure;
- Yachts which integrate solar power and artificial intelligence;
- Digitised smart systems on yachts to utilise real-time data to make energy use more effective.
Cutting Greenhouse Gas Emissions
According to Ocean Tech, boats currently generate 1000 megatons of greenhouse gas emissions every year, which is surplus to the amount emitted by the whole of Canada. The proximate relationship that yacht owners have with marine life means that rewiring yachters' habits and behaviours can culminate in making an impact. In a bid to ease your environmental conscience, yacht owners can invest in hybrid or electric yachts. Guidelines on best practices have improved over the past ten years. Boat owners must follow best practice to mitigate damage to marine life. Educate all guests on board and spread awareness of best practice for eco-friendly yachting.
In addition to this boat owners can plan more fuel-efficient routes to conserve fuel and cut GHG emissions. Apps are there to help you use energy and time real-time data- look up some data.
Buying an Eco-friendly Yacht is the New Norm.
Millenials buying a new yacht have a slightly different mindset to the previous generations. When given the choice between buying a boat with minimal emissions and engine vibrations, compared with a noisy fossil-fueled yacht, there is no contest. Fossil fuels will soon seem out of touch and will eventually become obsolete. After all, the yacht you purchase speaks about your core values and beliefs. A fossil-fueled boat is no longer a positive advertisement or expression of your values. If you're going to buy a yacht that stands the test of time, a hybrid or fully electric yacht which economises energy and uses solar power is a safe choice.
Flying Solar on a Greenline
With a bank of solar panels, you can use all of the boat’s appliances, whether cruising or at rest, without having to fire up a generator or connect to shore power. This means there is no noise, no vibrations, no emissions and no disturbing your neighbours when the boat is on anchor. By utilising high-performance LiPo batteries, can even high load appliances like air-conditioning in silence. While Greenline harnesses the sun's energy, we don’t expect to use this as the only form of energy. The solar panels on the hardtop keep the batteries fully charged and provide additional energy. The boat is available in either an H-Drive (Hybrid propulsion) or an E-Drive system (fully electric).
How Does A Greenline Integrate Solar Power?
Each solar panel on a Greenline yacht is made up of Photovoltaic cells and are made of semiconductor materials. When sunlight hits the cells, it knocks electrons loose from their atoms. As the electrons flow through the cell, they generate electricity.
Every Greenline yacht features a solar roof, including forced air cooling, with up to 3kWh! That’s 10-15 kWh of power per day, depending on the model and weather conditions. The solar power systems consist of solar panels, batteries, charge controllers and inverters. As a result, the solar panels can supply continuous power to onboard main devices such as the refrigerator, air conditioning and entertainment systems, removing the need for a generator or shore power.
Hybrid models simply mean that two or more sources of energy are used. Greenline yachts use a strategic combination connecting four modes of operation with full integration and simplicity.
The Greenline Hybrid concept uses up to four times less fuel than a Powerboat. H-Drive offers silent and emission-free navigation. The boating community refers to the H-drive as ‘Gentleman’s Boating’ because it allows you to navigate without disturbing your neighbours at the anchorage or in the marina. The H-Drive provides a range of up to 20 nautical miles at approximately 5 knots on a full charge, more than enough for a typical and relaxed day on the water.
The protected H-Drive connects the four modes of operation with full integration and simplicity. A control system provides a simple interface to the user, via a single switch whereby they can switch between diesel and electric mode. The running cost of electric boating is ten times lower than burning diesel fuel.
How Do You Harness Solar Power On A Greenline at Shore?
At the dock, the boat is plugged into the 230V (120 V) AC shore power supply. The battery pack is under charge and the inverter provides AC power to run home appliances.
Greenline’s mission is simple- to blend modular design, contemporary styling, seamless living and eco-friendly boating for an enhanced ecperience.
Find out more about Greenline's Hybrid propulsion.
