Solar power has been harnessed to power many things. We have seen solar powered vehicles but luxury yachts powered by the sun are the latest thing on the block. Experiments and innovations in the field of renewable and sustainable energy sources to run our modes of transport have been underway for some time. This has led to solar power being used to power luxury yachts which otherwise require a huge amount of fossil fuel. Check out these 5 solar powered luxury yachts that are making waves:
Solarwave 62’ from Nedship
Image Source : thebillionaireshop.com
Nedship, a Turkish shipyard teamed with Solarwave to design zero emission solar yachts. It took four years to perfect the tech and now the design is finally nearing completion. The hull design is carbon composite, and the Nedship-Solarwave collaboration has resulted in a luxury catamaran which is 62’ long. The catamaran can achieve an unlimited range in normal conditions and a cruising speed which is equal to sailing cats.
The roof of the yacht is fitted with 15kW photovoltaic cells connected to a 100kWh series batteries. The owner of the yacht can decide on the batteries required. The solar power can provide enough energy for all household appliances (day and night), and also for it to cruise at zero emissions at 7 to 13 knots.
Other cool features are a retractable roof, tender garage and gorgeous luxury interiors.
Solaris global cruiser by Duffy London
This luxury yacht from Duffy, London is solar powered yacht which is completely fuel free. It is designed using the latest manufacturing techniques, which endows it with a light but strong hull, interior and shell. The super yacht will not need any refuelling as it has been made using avant garde solar and battery technology.
The Solaris can travel silently attaining great speed, just as any other sailing yacht. The manufacturers designed the yacht in a way that its eco-friendly aspects were not affected by the comfort and luxury factors. The yacht has a capacity of 7 crew and 10 guests, who can relax on the lower and upper outdoor decks.
Suncat 46
Image Source : oceanshaker.com
The Suncat 46 (14 m length) is the world’s first large yacht driven by solar power which has been built in serial production. It combines elegant design with luxury and environment friendly technology. Designed by Juan Espinosa in collaboration with Horizon, the well-known yacht manufacturers, the Suncat 46 has an optimized hull. The roof has solar cells of 6 KW and the energy from the solar cells is stored in batteries. These batteries power propulsion and appliances on board. The batteries can be charged on land, if required. Due to solar electricity, the luxury yacht can travel great distances, with no other fuel costs.
SoelCat 12
Image Source : tuvie.com
The Dutch company Soel Yachts has also jumped into the ecotourism industry. The SoelCat 12 is a catamaran which runs on solar electricity and was designed in collaboration with another Dutch company Naval DC. The catamaran runs on 100% sustainable energy alternative, as compared to boats which are conventionally powered. The yacht is 39 ft in length and a capacity of 24 people on board. It can cruise at speeds up to 17mph i.e. 15 knots. While cruising at the speed of 6 knots, the yacht derives its powers entirely from solar panels (during the day) and at higher speeds, two 60kWh lithium batteries provide an added boost.
This eco-friendly luxury yacht is priced a cool $560,000!
The Sherpa from Arcadia
Image Source : yachtingmagazine.com
The Sherpa from Arcadia Shipyard, is a beautiful yacht which has solar panels and has already won accolades for its innovative design.
The Sherpa has a distinctive shape and eco-friendly features. It is 5.60m in width and is 16.80m long and the body is made of fibreglass, and a lot of attention has been given to space optimization and sustainable design.
The solar panels have a dual function – to provide green energy to the yacht’s machinery, and to act as a natural screen in the interior of the yacht.
These yachts are unique as they have made solar power the source of energy to run them. This reduces the use of fossil fuels and hopefully, other yacht makers would follow suit and manufacture boats which use clean energy.
