solar panels for small yacht

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What You Need To Know About Boat Solar Panels

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Sunshine and boats are a natural together, so why not use all that free energy? Here’s the lowdown on solar panel selection and installation

I first embraced the idea of solar power while up a pole (literally) in the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway replacing dead batteries. It was the early 1980s, and I was maintaining buoys, beacons, and other such Aids To Navigation (ATON) for the U.S. Coast Guard, replacing massive, nonrechargeable batteries with rechargeable solar-powered ones. The higher-ups said the solar rechargeables would last six years – twice as long as the one-shot batteries. As the deck-ape in charge of lugging all those batteries up and down the ladders, my back and I immediately appreciated the whole “free power from the sun” thing, a concept I continue to embrace.

The strategy behind s olar energy onboard is simple: A solar panel converts sunlight into electricity, after which wiring conducts it to your batteries for storage until needed. Solar panels are used to keep batteries or banks charged rather than to power equipment directly. This arrangement allows the panels to store generated power whenever produced, while providing a steady source of power to a piece of equipment even when the panel is producing no power.

While they do require an initial outlay, solar panels can easily pay for themselves in money saved and independence gained over their service life. They’re noiseless, have no moving parts, and they provide free electricity for years with minimal maintenance. Solar panels also have the benefit of being modular, letting you start small and add more as your power requirements increase.

The benefits of solar

Almost any boat can benefit from solar power. Whether at a slip, mooring, or on a trailer, boats can keep their batteries topped off without the need for external power. You can also use solar power to supplement or even replace other onboard charging sources, reducing or eliminating the need to run engines or generators to keep batteries topped off (a wasteful practice that burns fuel while wearing down the costliest pieces of equipment onboard).

While underway, it’s a plus to be able to recharge a dead battery in an emergency – say, to operate a VHF radio or navigation gear. While dockside, solar panels keep batteries charged and vital systems (such as bilge pumps) up and running without the need for shore power.

Just about any boat can benefit from solar power, whether it’s to keep batteries topped off or supplement other onboard charging sources.

Mount solar panels where they are exposed to maximum sunlight but do not interfere with operation of the vessel. 

Bottom: Something as simple as the shadow of a line or shroud can reduce or halt output.

Types of panels

Solar panels contain photovoltaic cells – small silicon semiconductor devices that convert sunlight into electricity. Each cell generates between 0.45 and 0.5 volts, depending on exposure to direct sunlight. Cell size determines amperage, with a 3-inch cell producing roughly 2 amps, a 4-inch cell a little over 3 amps, and a 5-inch cell around 5 amps.

Construction-wise, the three main types of solar panels are monocrystalline, polycrystalline, and amorphous (or thin-film) technology.

Monocrystalline panels have been around the longest and remain the most popular. The panels are constructed of thin slices of crystal silicon (each cell is cut from a single crystal) housed in a rigid, aluminum frame and covered with tempered shatterproof glass. The panels have a uniform black, blue, or gray appearance and are generally quite rugged, although they can be cracked or broken if subjected to extreme abuse.

Monocrystalline panels have the longest service life of the three types. With a conversion efficiency of around 17%, they’re also the most efficient and have the highest electrical output per area, but they are also the most expensive.

Polycrystalline cells are sliced from a cast silicon block and have a shattered glass appearance. Built in much the same way as monocrystalline panels, they’re rectangular, giving the panel itself a tiled look. Their life span is similar to monocrystalline panels, and while their conversion efficiency is lower (by 14%), they’re also a bit less expensive.

Amorphous panels are made by placing a thin film of active silicon on a solid or flexible backing (such as stainless or aluminum sheeting) depending on whether the panel is to be rigid-framed and glass-fronted or flexible. Flexible amorphous panels, in which cells are sandwiched between rubber and polymer covers, are light and tough enough that you can walk on them and, in some cases, even roll them up for storage.

This type of solar panel is also better if shade is an issue. With crystalline panels, even the thin shadow of a rope or shroud across one cell can reduce or halt output of an entire module. Amorphous panels have “bypass” diodes that essentially turn off shaded cells and provide a current path around them. Some monocrystalline panels also have bypass diodes, but this feature comes at an increase in cost.

Amorphous panels are the least expensive of the three types, but their efficiency is also lower – around 8%, or roughly half that of a monocrystalline type. This lower output is somewhat mitigated in newer panels, however, which use three-layer construction. Each layer absorbs different colors of the solar spectrum, so the panel will deliver more power longer each day and during lower light conditions than the other two types.

The charge controller should be mounted below decks and as close to the battery as possible. 

Follow manufacturer instructions for wire connections.

Planning the system

While factors such as cost, mounting options, and output are important, a successful installation depends on knowing what you want the system to accomplish. Is the goal to float-charge a single battery or supplement an overall vessel energy plan? Answering these questions up front will help determine the type, size, and number of panels required.

To understand the process better, let’s walk through the basic steps to determine power requirements and installation considerations for a single solar panel installation. While the example itself is simple, the steps are the same used to plan more complicated installations.

For our example, the goal is to install a solar panel to provide charging for a single 12-volt, 100-amp-hour wet-cell battery used to power an automatic anchor light on a moored vessel.

The first step is compiling a daily power consumption estimate to determine how much solar power is needed.

The daily self-discharge rate for a wet-cell battery is roughly 1%, meaning our 100-amp-hour battery requires one amp every 24 hours just to maintain the status quo. The anchor light draws 50 milliamps per hour of operation, and we’ll assume it operates 10 hours each night. Multiplying current draw (50 milliamps) by hours of daily operation (10) generates a daily energy expense of 500 milliamps or .5 amps.

This means our solar panel must meet a minimum daily energy tab of 1.5 amps – one amp of battery self-discharge rate plus .5 amps of power draw for the anchor light.

Next up is figuring out panel size and the best mounting location. For our example, let’s assume the panel will be a horizontal, fixed-mount installation. A 10-watt horizontally mounted panel should generate between 3- and 5-amp hours per day.

We’ll need at least 13 volts to fully charge our 12-volt battery. As most solar cells generate at least 0.45 volts, you’ll want a panel with a minimum of 33 cells, which should provide around 14.85 volts.

Keep in mind that’s the minimum needed, which may not be enough once you factor in a few cloudy days. Most panels are designed to generate between 15 and 20 volts to overcome problems like cloudy days or inherent electrical resistance within the panel or installation components. While this higher voltage lets you make up for less electrically productive days, it also means you’ll want to install a solar charge controller (voltage regulator) to avoid battery damage due to overcharging.

Attempts to plan a system that tries to use the output of the panel and capacity of the battery to prevent overcharging (and avoid the installation of a charge controller) is false economy and should not be done. The system will never meet its full output potential and, worst case, can damage the battery due to overcharging.

A word on ‘charge controller confliction’

If your vessel has multiple charging sources, such as solar panels and a wind turbine, a crucial but often overlooked consideration is “charge controller confliction.” In short, this is an issue where the charge controller for your solar panel and the charge controller for your wind turbine are internally adjusted to the same maximum charge voltage set point. This means they are constantly fighting each other to be the dominant power source, which results in diminished overall charging output and performance. An in-depth article on this issue can be found at ­missioncriticalenergy.com (in the website footer, click “Superwind Turbine Manuals & Technical Bulletins.” Under the header “Charge Controllers,” select the document “Resolving Charge Controller Confliction”).

While this article addresses charge controller confliction at remote, off-grid sites, the information provided is also applicable to vessel installations. — F.L.

Location and mounting

Solar panels should be mounted in a location where they are exposed to the maximum amount of sunlight but do not interfere with operation of the vessel or the movement of passengers and crew. Solar panels will typically be either fixed or mounted on some type of movable bracket that allows you to actively point the panel toward the sun for maximum output. Both methods have their pros and cons. Fixed panels (which are normally mounted horizontally) don’t produce as much power as a panel that can be adjusted to face the sun. The downside is that adjustable panels must be aimed throughout the day to maximize their output.

Use good quality, marine-grade heat shrink connectors (top) and liquid electrical tape (right) to create airtight, waterproof seals and reduce corrosion.

Installation

After choosing and mounting your panel, it’s time to connect it. The first thing you need to determine is the size (gauge) of the wiring to be used. Multiply your panel’s rated amp output by 1.25 (which adds a 25% safety factor). Then measure the length of the entire wiring run, panel to battery, and multiply by 2. Once you have these two numbers, refer to the American Boat and Yacht Council’s (ABYC) 3% voltage-drop table for wire size. Ancor Products offers a handy wire calculator on its website ( ancorproducts.com/resources ).

Always use good quality marine grade connectors  and tinned, multi-stranded copper wire with vinyl sheathing. The wire will run from the solar panel to the charge controller first, then to the battery. Try to keep the wire run as short as possible, and if it transits an external deck or cabin house (it likely will), be sure to use an appropriate weatherproof deck fitting.

The charge controller should be mounted below decks and as close to the battery as possible. You’ll always want to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for connections, but in a typical installation you’ll connect the solar panel’s positive (red wire) lead to the charge controller’s positive input wire or terminal and the negative (black wire) lead to the charge controller’s negative input wire or terminal.

Next, connect the charge controller’s negative output to the battery negative terminal and the controller’s positive output to the battery’s positive terminal via an appropriately sized in-line fuse (or circuit breaker). ABYC recommends these be installed within 7 inches of connection to the battery or other point in the DC system. To reiterate, the installation of the charge controller can vary among models, so follow the manufacturer’s installation instructions.

Finally, ensure all connections are waterproof and secure any loose wire runs with wire ties and cable clamps for a neat installation. Then get ready to lean back and soak up some free sun.

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Frank Lanier

Contributing Editor, BoatUS Magazine

Capt. Frank Lanier is a SAMS Accredited Marine Surveyor with more than 40 years of experience in the marine and diving industries. He’s also an author, public speaker, and multiple award-winning journalist whose articles on boat maintenance, repair, and seamanship appear regularly in numerous marine publications worldwide. He can be reached via his YouTube channel “Everything Boats with Capt. Frank Lanier” and website captfklanier.com.

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Yachting Monthly

• Digital edition

Sailing with solar power: A practical guide

• Duncan Kent
• November 13, 2020

The latest solar technology makes self-sufficient cruising much more achievable. Duncan Kent gives the lowdown on everything you need to get your boat sorted

SOLAR POWER ON BOARD

Solar power is fast becoming the most popular and economic method of keeping the batteries charged on a boat.

Particularly now that the efficiency of photovoltaic (PV) panels, charge controllers and batteries is improving every day.

Furthermore, the latest technology in regulators and charge controllers has brought about a noticeable increase in useable power output, so the problems of shading and non-alignment can be compensated for more easily.

Not only has PV equipment become more efficient and cost-effective, but many of the modern devices we want to use on a boat have become less power hungry.

This means it is now far easier to provide your entire yacht’s electrical needs, both 220Vac and 12/24Vdc, from natural energy resources – particularly solar power, even if you are planning on a fully electric boat .

Thinking carefully about how much power you need and how much your boat can accommodate is key to planning a solar array. Credit: Graham Snook

WHAT DO YOU NEED?

For instance, a boat with two new, good quality, deep-cycle house batteries of 100Ah each would supply 100Ah of energy to consume between charges, if you only use the recommended 50% of available charge between each charge cycle to protect the batteries.

From this you could run:

• a modern 12Vdc fridge (approx. 1.5Ah, or 36Ah over 24hrs),
• all LED lighting (say 20Ah per day),
• various small device chargers (20Ah)
• and a number of other items such as water pumps, TVs and stereos (25Ah/day)
• Totalling around 100Ah.
• For this you’d need 400W of solar capacity.

Of course, if you like to run a lot of AC devices off-grid such as hair dryers, microwaves, toasters and the like, then you’re going to need a DC/ AC inverter, which will take you to another level in power consumption terms.

But even then, with careful planning, solar could provide a large portion of the power you need before resorting to engine charging or a generator.

THE AVAILABLE SPACE

In practical terms, a modern 40ft monohull would have the space for around 1,200W of PV panels (cockpit arch, sprayhood top, deck), maybe 1,500W with the addition of a few portable panels for use at anchor.

The 1,200W of fixed position solar array could produce around 360Ah on a sunny summer’s day (zero shading) or more likely 250Ah on the average UK summer’s day.

So that’s enough for your 100Ah general DC consumption plus another 150Ah of AC consumption via the inverter.

Of course, to do this you’ll most likely need to increase your battery capacity to around 400-500Ah for maximum flexibility (you’ll need to store as much as possible during daylight hours), a typical figure for a 40-50ft offshore cruising yacht these days.

Get your solar charging right and you may never need to hook up to shore power

Typical daily inverter loads for a cruising yacht off grid might be:

• induction cooking plate (20min) 60Ah
• microwave (15min) 30Ah
• coffee maker (20mins) 25Ah
• hair dryer (5min) 15Ah
• laptop charger (2h) 10Ah
• or around 140Ah in total.

The trick is to monitor the batteries’ state of charge (SOC) at all times and vary your use of the inverter to suit.

For example, you might want to cook supper mid-afternoon, when solar is in abundance, and then reheat it in the evening when you want to eat it.

In some cases, when you’re cruising in warm climates such as the Med, you might end up with excess charge from your solar panels .

In this situation, many long-term cruisers devise a method of ‘dumping’ the extra energy by heating water for showers.

Do bear in mind if you’re planning to live aboard full time , then it’ll be a whole different story on cloudy days and during the winter, when inverter use might need to be knocked on the head entirely.

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POWER DISCREPANCIES

There’s often confusion as to how much power you can harvest from a solar installation.

A PV panel is nearly always advertised stating its theoretical peak output power (Pw).

But in reality, on a yacht where there are limited areas in which to mount them, they will more likely produce a maximum of 60% of their peak output if mounted horizontally, increasing to 80% if tilted towards the sun and regularly adjusted.

The latter is rarely achievable on a boat, however, as even at anchor it can swing through an arc of 180° in wind or tidal shifts .

Flexible panels can be mounted on sprayhoods or awnings to add power when it’s needed at anchor or in harbour

INSTALLATION

Having trawled through hundreds of ‘deals’ to get the best price on the most efficient panels you can afford you now need to know how to install them to best fulfill your energy generation needs.

The output, even from the highest quality photo-voltaic array, will only be as good as the installation itself.

So following our guidelines should ensure you extract every last drop of energy from your investment.

PANEL MOUNTING

Sailing boats are not the ideal structure on which to mount wide, flat PV panels.

So before you go ahead and purchase what looks like the biggest and best, take a few minutes to decide on exactly where you can mount them, as this will affect what size and type of panels you should buy.

In many cases the first choice would be on an arch, davits or gantry aft, especially if you already have, or plan to fit one.

Dinghy davits, particularly on multihulls, can support a huge solar capacity

These allow a solid metal framework to be constructed that will be strong enough to take the heavier, more productive rigid PV panels.

You can also build in some form of adjuster to the framework that will allow the panels to be orientated towards the sun for the best performance.

With luck (or careful planning) a gantry will also keep them aft of the boom, thereby eliminating loss of output caused by boom shading.

The next most popular position for mounting the panels is on a cockpit sprayhood or bimini, although this will often mean using the flexible or semi-flexible panels, which are generally less efficient than the rigid ones for the same area.

ELEVATED MOUNTING

Alternatively, there are kits available for mounting panels onto lifelines, which can allow their elevation to be manually adjusted to a certain degree.

Pole-mounted panels can be used for maximum adjustability

Finally, panels can be fitted directly onto the deck by either gluing them down using mastic or attaching them onto a rigid support frame.

Once again you will probably need to use semi-flexible panels – especially if the deck surface is curved.

Rigid, glass-coated panels will obviously not be suitable for deck mounting in an area that is frequently walked over.

Don’t be tempted to drill through the panels, even along the edges, as this will invalidate the warranty and possibly damage the panel.

With solid panels, the ability to adjust the angle can add significantly to output

It might seem obvious, but the key to an efficient system is to avoid shading wherever possible.

It’s no good fitting expensive, high-efficiency PVs right under the boom as they’ll perform little better than the cheaper types.

Saying that, in good quality panels each cell will be isolated from the next by a series of diodes (one-way electrical valves), so that if one cell is shaded at least it won’t drag down the other cells within the same panel.

Older panels often didn’t have these, so the slightest partial shading caused the output of the entire panel to cease.

OVERHEATING

Another important factor that is often ignored when installing the panels is that of overheating.

If a PV panel gets too hot, which is quite likely if mounted directly onto a flat surface without an air gap behind, its output will drop quite noticeably.

To allow for some air circulation behind the panels it’s best to apply mastic adhesive in numerous large dabs.

This is best achieved by placing wooden spacer strips between the dabs until the mastic has completely cured, after which the spacers can be removed.

You might need some form of trim around one or more of the outside edges, though, if they are positioned where sheets and other lines might get caught under them.

Raising the panels up will also help water to drain off and thereby helping to avoid possible delamination from sitting in water for too long.

CHARGE CONTROL

A PV module cannot supply an electrical device directly due to the changeability of the sunlight, which in turns varies the current it can produce.

Therefore, it has to be connected to a battery, which stores and smooths its output.

Whatever the size of your solar array you will need to fit a regulator, or charge controller as they are now more commonly known, to the system in order to control the output and to help extract as much power from the panels as possible.

There are two types of PV charge controller.

The older designs, called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) types, were fairly basic voltage regulators and simply output volts at just above battery level.

The latest controllers use Multi Power Point Tracking (MPPT) technology and can accept much higher input voltages (up to 240Vdc).

MPPT controllers can be up to 30% more efficient as they use the peak output of the panels to charge the batteries, even compensating for partial shading.

BEWARE FAKE GEAR

If you buy online do be careful to ensure you’re getting what you pay for.

There are a huge number of fake MPPTs out there, which are simply the much cheaper PWM dressed up with fake labels.

It’s hard to tell which is which, but the old adage of ‘if it looks too good to be true, it usually is’ makes good sense.

MPPT controllers are usually bigger and heavier than PWMs, but if in doubt call or email the supplier to discuss the pros and cons of their kit before buying.

If they’re not happy to chat and advise you then I would steer clear of their gear.

Some good MPPTs are made in China, but unless they have a UK supplier, I wouldn’t bother with them as you’ll have no follow-up advice.

To calculate what size controller you need simply divide the panel’s peak power in Watts (Wp) by the battery voltage, which will give you the maximum current (Amps) they could theoretically supply.

For example 240W/12V = 20A. Although it’s unlikely you’ll ever get near the peak output from any PV panel, it’s best to go for the maximum possible.

Induction cooking is now a reality on board, even without shore power

PV panels come with a short length of cable, usually around 1m long.

Some are supplied with MC4 connectors already attached but most only provide bare wires.

The latter can be easily extended using proper waterproof connections but thought must be given as to the current rating and voltage drop (usually max 3%) for the size of cable you intend to use.

If in doubt, bigger is better!

Panels can sometimes be ordered with the wiring on the back so that the cable can go straight below deck through a hole under the panel.

You may need to fit extra battery capacity if you want to run an inverter from solar charging

SERIES OR PARALLEL?

A commonly asked question is ‘should I wire my PV panels in series or in parallel?’

The simple answer is, if there’s any danger of frequent shading to one or more of the panels then install them in parallel.

If wired in series the shading of a single panel will drag down the output from all of the others in the same series.

PARALLEL IS PREFERRED

Most commonly, multiple panels are wired together in parallel to a single charge controller, with diodes protecting each panel from discharging the others should one become partially shaded.

With the advent of MPPT controllers, however, there can sometimes be a benefit to wiring two or more identical panels into a series bank, thereby presenting a higher voltage to the controller.

It’s worth noting that, like batteries, wiring PV panels in series increases the voltage only – the current capacity of the array remains the same as for a single panel.

‘Where’s the benefit of wiring them in series then?’ you might ask.

Well, the higher the voltage fed into the MPPT, the more consistent it will be with its output, which could, in some cases, prove more efficient than a parallel installation with PWM controllers.

It’s also likely to be necessary if you have a 24V domestic system.

SERIES WIRING

Series wiring is usually only done when the cable runs are long, as it helps negate the voltage drop caused by the resistance of the cable.

While a decent controller will have no problem handling the output from four or even five panels wired in series, it is often inappropriate for sailing yachts as shading just one of the panels will reduce the output of the entire series array.

If you need to do so in order to reduce cable runs then it’s best to split the panels between each side of the boat – a series bank on each side.

If you do this, then you would ideally fit a separate controller to each series PV bank and then connect their outputs together in parallel to the battery bank.

Note, however, that panels wired in series must all be the same types with an equal number of cells per panel.

Furthermore, the charge controller needs to be sized for the total of all panel voltages added together and the current rating of one individual panel.

Differently rated panels can be connected together in parallel but only if each panel has its own controller.

The outputs of the individual controllers can then be joined together to go to the battery bank.

BATTERY BANK QUESTION

Another frequently asked question is ‘Can I connect another charging source to the battery bank while the solar array is charging?’

The answer is yes.

Any decent PV controller will be protected against feedback from other charging sources.

Think carefully about where shade from mast, boom and rigging will fall. Credit: Graham Snook Photography

CABLE SIZE AND CONNECTORS

A frequent cause of reduced output from PV arrays is wiring that is too small.

The resistance of a wire conductor increases in direct proportion to its cross-sectional area, so go as big as is practicable for the least cable loss.

Each panel should be supplied with the correctly sized cables for its own maximum output.

But if you’re combining panels, either in parallel or in series, you will clearly need to rate the single feed cable to suit the maximum current available at theoretical peak solar output and to minimise voltage drop.

Likewise, the cable from the controller to the batteries should be sized to suit the controller’s maximum output current and protected with a fuse.

For outside it’s important to use exterior grade cable, which is double- insulated and UV-proof.

WEATHERPROOF CONNECTORS

And wherever possible use compatible weatherproof connectors (usually MC4) to those found on the panels rather than cutting off the plugs and hard-wiring them.

Field- assembly MC4 plugs are available, so you don’t have to drill large holes in the decks or bulkheads when feeding the cables through.

When joining more than one panel together try to use the approved multiway connectors; not only do they keep the wiring neat and tidy, but they also offer a greater contact area than budget terminal blocks.

If you have to use screw-type connectors make sure to fit proper ferrules to the wire first to avoid any stray wires in the multistrand shorting across the terminals.

When feeding a cable from above to below deck, try to go through an upright bulkhead where possible to minimise ‘pooling’ of water around the access hole.

Also, use a proper watertight deck seal that matches the cable you’re using.

If drilling through a cored deck you need to drill a larger hole first, fill it with epoxy resin and then drill the required size hole through the epoxy to ensure no water gets into the deck core.

Ideally, the charge controller should be mounted no further than 2m from the battery bank.

If you need to go further, you’ll require larger cabling to reduce the voltage drop.

A generous solar array will keep you self- sufficient indefinitely. Credit: Graham Snook Photography

CONTROLLER LOAD TERMINALS

There is often confusion over the ‘load’ output of a charge controller (often depicted by a light bulb) and what can safely be connected to these terminals.

Rarely explained in the manual, the load terminals should be pretty much ignored in a marine installation as the output on these terminals is usually very limited (10A max).

Some attach an LED light to them to indicate the controller is operating, but all your usual electrical loads should remain connected to the batteries with the battery terminals on the controller connected directly to that battery bank via a fuse.

It is possible, though, to control a high-current switching relay in certain conditions.

Parallel installation is more resilient to shading, but a series installation will increase peak charging outputs. A combination of the two offers some of the benefit of both

CIRCUIT MONITORING

Unlike most cheap PWMs, the majority of good quality MPPT charge controllers come with an alphanumeric LCD screen to let you know what is going on.

This can either be a remote display or simply one on the front of the box.

It’s obviously a lot better to have a proper numerical display than to rely on a few flashing LEDs to tell you when something’s not right.

So if your chosen controller doesn’t have one be sure to fit a battery monitor (the shunt type) into your solar circuit between the controller and the batteries.

It doesn’t have to be a very ‘smart’ monitor, just one that can display the voltage and current being supplied by the panels.

For smartphone addicts there are several wifi apps that will do the job remotely on your phone or tablet.

DEVICE PROTECTION

All good quality PV panels feature built-in diode protection between each cell to prevent a shaded cell from dragging down the productive ones.

In addition, there will be internal blocking diodes on the final output to protect the panel from polarity reversal and to ensure that the batteries can’t discharge back into the panel during the night.

The latter can be added externally, the former can’t, so check before you buy.

A fuse, rated just above the maximum current available, should be fitted between each panel and the charge controller.

Another fuse should then be installed between the charge controller’s output and the batteries.

In the case of multiple arrays, this second fuse will be rated higher than the individual panel fuses and should match the maximum current rating of the cable.

With this protection installed other charging devices can be connected in parallel at the battery, meaning the solar can be left connected even when you are hooked up to shore power and the battery charger is operating.

In some circumstances, however, this arrangement can affect the sensing of the battery by the charger, causing it to fall back into float mode.

If this becomes apparent it can be overcome by installing a manual/auto switch to disconnect the solar array when on shore power.

Check the flex of the solar panel is sufficient for your deck

EXCESS POWER DUMPING

A solar charge controller works by disconnecting the supply from the PV panels when the batteries are fully charged.

But for some full-time liveaboards in sunny climates that can be considered a waste, when the excess power could be put to good use – heating water, say.

This is commonly done using an inverter to supply AC power to the heating element.

Alternatively, you can now buy a 12Vdc element for your calorifier (hot water tank) and supply this directly from your battery bank.

Both of these methods would require a voltage sensitive relay (VSR) to disconnect the element should the battery voltage drop below a pre-set level.

Don’t expect boiling hot water, as there will probably only be enough spare power to take the chill off it before your battery bank reaches its lower threshold voltage.

A 600W/12V element will draw some 50A, from the batteries, whereas a 1kW AC element run through an inverter will need close to 100A.

A small, semi-flexible panel will be sufficient for keeping batteries trickle charged, but not for heavy use

RIGID, FLEXIBLE, OR SEMI FLEXIBLE?

Despite massive recent improvements in semi-flexible panels in recent years, the solid glass panels still offer a higher power density.

That said, they are heavier, more awkward to mount and can’t be walked on, so unless you have a dedicated gantry aft, you’re better off choosing the more rugged semi-flexibles.

Modules incorporating monocrystalline cells also have a better output than those with polycrystalline cells (that’s cells made from a single slice of silicon as opposed to layers of smaller pieces).

Output voltage also depends on the number of cells on the panel.

In the past this has commonly been 32, but now some 36 and even 40 cell panels are available.

That said, they’re larger, of course, so an array of interconnected smaller panels might be a better solution.

Module efficiency is now more often around the 20% mark, as opposed to 12-15% for older models and semi- flexible (up to 20° bend) are usually better than flexible (up to 180° bend).

A rigid panel is more efficient, but less robust

There are a huge number of panels on the market, but many use the same cells.

Sunpower Maxeon cells are exceptionally good, as are the Panasonic HIT range and LG, but they are pricey.

If the maker is offering a 25-year guarantee instead of a 3-5 year one, you can be pretty confident they’re good.

When it comes to charge controllers it’s definitely worth paying a little more for a decent MPPT.

A cheap PWM might be okay just to keep a small starter battery charged with a 30W panel, but the MPPT will give you much more when it comes to heavy service.

Victron are probably top of the range, while cheaper brands like MakeSkyBlue and EPever are also good value – but treat imports of unclear origin with care.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Duncan Kent has been evaluating and reviewing yachts and marine equipment for the past 30 years

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Solar Learning Center > Solar Panels for Home > Solar Panel Installation Process > Solar Panels For Boats and Yachts Solar Learning Center > Solar Panels for Home > Solar Panel Installation Process > Solar Panels For Boats and Yachts -->

Solar Panels For Boats and Yachts

By Michael Olenick | Jul 26, 2022

The purchase of a boat or a yacht is a coveted purchase for many people. While it certainly adds a new dynamic to one’s life, it’s not the most straightforward investment since maintenance is a huge component of owning a sea vessel. Other than the physical maintenance of your boat, fuel management and maintenance is often a logistical nightmare for many boat owners. Some of these problems include keeping batteries topped off; doing it quietly, as not to bother the surrounding communities; and refueling costs. An easy solution to these problems: solar panels.

Sizing a Solar System for Your Boat or Yacht

• Refrigerator(s)
• Radar & sonar units

When adding up your energy consumption, always round up and add about 10-15% extra Watt-hours to your total, as certain appliances tend to use up more energy during spring and summer months. Once you reach the conclusion that you are ready for a further discussion, you can always reach out to a solar panel expert to get solar quotes, help with your energy calculations, and aid in determining the right number of panels you would need to offset your yacht or boat’s energy usage. Obviously, the number of panels you would need depends on energy usage and vessel size, but solar is a much better option than common fossil fuels when powering your boat.

The Benefits of Adding Solar Panels To a Boat or Yacht

When it comes to adding solar panels to your boat, the benefits are endless. Here are just a few for you to consider:

• Silence: Noisy refueling at docks and extremely loud on-board generators are a thing of the past. Cruise the seas in with zero mechanical noises, and enjoy the natural ocean sounds.
• Minimal Maintenance: The only maintenance solar panels require is a simple rinse off every couple of months, as salt can build up when the seawater evaporates.

• Travel Lightly: With your new panels, you won’t have to lug heavy containers of fuel with you on your trips. More room for wine or martini mix.
• Unlimited Energy: Aside from the occasional cloud in the sky, you will have full access to the sun on the open seas.

Besides the affordability and convenience, solar panels could inevitably save your life. You will never have to worry about running out of fuel when you are out on the water. This will help you avoid any potential emergencies or disasters.

Solar Panel Placement

This is where most caution needs to be taken. When choosing where you are going to place your solar panels on your yacht or boat, you need to take two big things into consideration: shading and security.

When it comes to shading, you want to make sure you place your panels in an area that receives the most sunlight. Having your boom shade some of the panels, or any lines can reduce your energy production. The wiring of solar panels can also be delicate. That is why you need to place your solar system in the most secure spot possible – rough seas or choppy waters could lead to a wire shaking loose.

If you’re longing to make a maintenance upgrade to your nautical vessel, a solar system should be seriously considered. Not only will it reduce noise, weight, and fueling costs, but it will differentiate your boat from all the other vessels at your next port.

Whether you have questions about panel placement, efficiency, or just if your boat is right for solar, please click here to speak to an expert!

Solar Panel Installation Process

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Top 5 Best Solar Panels for Boats (2024 Marine Buyer’s Guide)

In this guide, you’ll learn:

• Why photovoltaic (PV) equipment is great to have on your boat
• Which panels are best suited for use on the water
• What qualities make for a great boat solar panel

Each product and or company featured here has been independently selected by the writer. You can learn more about our review methodology here. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.

Why Should You Install Solar Panels On Your Boat?

Before we dive into the best panels to bring your boat into the world of clean energy, it’s worth discussing why you’d want a solar panel system on your boat in the first place.

There are a few use cases that are important to consider. These not only dictate whether or not you need panels on your boat, but they can also help you decide which system is the best and most cost-effective for you. We’ll discuss the different reasons to go solar on your boat below.

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• Excellent reputation
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Charging Emergency Equipment

For anyone who has run into issues out at sea, the need for reliable emergency equipment is well understood. Whether you run out of gas, your boat breaks down or you have some other issue that precludes you from getting back to shore, having a way to reach out for help will keep your mind at ease.

Depending on the type of boat you have and how well it’s equipped, you may have a radio system, a satellite phone, a regular phone or some other communication device for emergencies. All of these require power, and having a solar system on your boat ensures that you’ll always have access to these devices.

Charging Recreational Equipment

Even if you’re not running into problems at sea, you might want the ability to charge recreational equipment. It’s always nice to have the ability to charge smartphones, e-readers, speakers and other devices you might use for entertainment.

This is especially important if you plan on spending a few days at sea and don’t want to rely on your boat’s batteries. Keeping those well charged for lighting, navigation tools and starting your boat’s engine is more important than getting your phone up to a full charge.

Quality of Life at Sea

For a lot of people, there’s a lot of joy in upgrading life at sea and making things just a little more comfortable. One of the perks of installing a solar system on your vessel is that you don’t have to worry about using your boat’s batteries for non-necessities.

For example, many recreational boaters connect their solar array to an electric cooler. Others use their solar modules to power electric water heaters for hot showers and constant hot water.

The possibilities for improving your at-sea experience with solar are really up to you, which is part of what makes bringing renewable energy to your boat so exciting.

What Are the Top 5 Best Solar Panels for Boats?

If you’re convinced you want to install solar on your boat, but you don’t know much about the available options, you might be overwhelmed by the choices. You’ll have access to seemingly countless brands and models.

To help you narrow down your options and choose panels that will meet your needs, we’ve done extensive research and chosen just a few product lines that we recommend. We’ll provide a quick breakdown of the different options below, and we’ll dive deeper into the specifications in later sections.

SunPower 170W Solar Panel

SunPower is a leader in the residential solar industry, so it’s no surprise that we found that the company also makes the best solar panels for use on boats.

This panel is pricey, but it’s significantly more powerful than most other options. At 170 watts, you can use these panels to charge your boat’s main battery, provide backup power for emergencies, or live large on the water by powering coolers, hot water heaters and much more.

This panel doesn’t come with a solar charge controller like many other options do, so not only is it expensive, but you’ll have to lay out more money for a controller, inverter and battery. However, we believe the efficiency and power output are well worth the investment.

These panels are also rated with a waterproof rating of IP67, which means they can withstand immersion in water up to about three feet for around half an hour. If you need more protection than that, you have bigger problems on your hands than losing a panel.

• High-efficiency panel for maximum power
• High-quality, durable materials
• Trusted and reliable brand
• Waterproof up to a meter for 30 minutes
• Doesn’t include any equipment other than the panel

Renogy 100W Flexible Marine Solar Panel

The Renogy Flexible solar panel designed specifically for use on the water is our pick for the best bang for your buck. It’s about half the price of the SunPower panel, although it does have a little more than just half the power capacity.

At 100 watts, this panel is great for middle-of-the-road power. It can serve as a reliable backup source of energy, or you can use it to recharge phones, GPS devices, e-readers, laptops and other electronics. It’s possible to use it for the quality-of-life items mentioned above as well.

This panel also has an IP67 waterproof rating, which is ideal for maintaining peace of mind on the water. Although it’s less expensive than our top pick, it includes a controller and wiring to connect your panels. You’ll just need an inverter and a battery to complete your setup.

• Excellent power output
• IP67 waterproof rating
• Includes controller and wiring
• Reliable brand name
• More expensive than many other options
• Doesn’t include a battery or inverter

EcoWorthy 25W Solar Panel Kit

The EcoWorthy solar panel kit is one of the easiest photovoltaic (PV) systems to install, so it’s our top pick for those looking to get started with clean energy. You can purchase this kit with a 10 amp-hour (AH), 12-volt battery, and the MC4 connectors are plug-and-play for a quick and painless installation.

This panel has a much smaller output than our top two picks, so it’s best reserved for backup power or for charging cell phones and other small electronics.

This kit has a waterproof rating of IP65, which means it can withstand being submerged in around five feet of water for up to a half hour, and it will also be protected from sprays of water. This is a great option for maintaining peace of mind when you’re on the water, especially if conditions are rough.

Lastly, the kit includes a panel, a controller and wiring, so you’ll just need to add a battery and an inverter to complete your kit.

• IP65 waterproof rating
• Includes a controller and wiring
• Very affordable
• Significantly less power than our top picks – Only ideal for light-duty use

NewPowa 30W Solar Panel Kit

This 30 watt solar panel kit from NewPowa includes a panel, a controller and wiring. If you add a backup battery and an inverter, you can create a complete off-grid solar kit for less than $150 without leaving your home (thanks to Amazon).

With an output of 30 watts, this is the best marine solar panel for light-duty use, although you could use it for non-essential electronics like an electric cooler or a small solar water heater. Those more demanding devices should be low-use, though.

The panels and controller are IP67-rated, so they’re suitable for use on just about any boat.

Best of all, the partial solar kit is just $60, so this makes our list as our top budget pick for going solar without breaking the bank.

The kit has pre-drilled mounting holes and is compatible with a wide variety of mounting brackets. As such, your installation process should be relatively straightforward.

• Includes a controller and plug-and-play wiring
• Relatively low wattage

TopSolar Monocrystalline Solar Panel Kit

The off-grid solar kit from TopSolar is a great affordable option, and it’s what we’d recommend as a starter kit for backup energy for beginners. It only puts out 20 watts, so this is not the best option if you’re looking for something to charge your recreational devices or quality-of-life equipment. However, it’s an affordable and easy-to-install kit for emergency power.

Unfortunately, this kit doesn’t include a specific ingress protection (IP) rating, but the manufacturer does note that the product is waterproof. Based on customer reviews, it appears that this product is safe for use on the water.

The kit includes a small PV panel, a controller and wiring, so you’ll need to buy an inverter and battery separately if you want AC power or backup power.

Best of all, the kit is super easy to install. It has pre-drilled holes and is compatible with most mounting brackets and clips.

• Great option for backup power
• Easy to install
• No official IP rating
• Low wattage

What Should Boat Owners Look for When Buying Solar Panels?

Solar panels can be a great option for marine use, but not all panels and solar kits are suitable for use around water. Additionally, the panel you choose needs to be selected based on how you want to use your solar power system.

In the sections below, we’ll include a few key things you’ll want to consider when choosing a solar module for your boat.

Energy Needs

One of the first things we recommend thinking about is how much energy you need your panels to generate. This will help guide you to what size panel and how much energy output you need.

If you’re just looking for reliable backup power for your boat’s internal 12-volt battery, or you want your panels to provide power for emergencies only, you’ll probably only need a panel of around 20 watts.

If you use your boat frequently for entertaining guests, or you spend days at a time on your boat, you might want something above 100 watts to provide backup power plus electricity for electric coolers, water heaters and more. Consider everything you’ll use your solar array for and size your system accordingly.

The chart below provides a quick breakdown of what size solar panels you need for different purposes on a boat.

If you plan on using your panels to replace an on-board generator, you can calculate how much electricity your boat uses and then size your system accordingly. It’s always advisable to go a little bigger than you think you need, as cloud coverage and the angle of the sunlight hitting your panels can cause fluctuations in solar power production.

If you have high energy needs, we also recommend considering a Maximum Power Point Tracker (MPPT) controller, which is more efficient than a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) controller, which is more common.

Space Available for Installation

Just like residential solar systems are limited by available roof square footage, marine solar systems are limited by the available space for installation. This is an important consideration to make to ensure you don’t buy a panel that you won’t be able to mount or use in your vessel.

Before you buy any equipment, we recommend checking the measurements of the panel and deciding where on your boat you can install it. Some portable, foldable panels come with kickstands for temporary setups, but the smaller of our top picks can be set up just about anywhere without mounting brackets as well.

Type of Solar Panel

You’ll have a few choices for the type of panel you purchase for your boat as well.

First, you’ll need to decide between thin-film solar panels, polycrystalline solar panels and monocrystalline solar panels.

• Monocrystalline panels are the most efficient, so they’re the best suited for use on boats. The higher efficiency ratings will let you produce more energy per square foot, which is essential on a boat where space is limited. All of our recommendations above are monocrystalline.
• Polycrystalline solar panels can also work, but they won’t provide as much solar power.
• Thin-film panels are the most affordable, but they generate even less electricity and aren’t ideal for use where available space is minimal.

Second, you should think about whether you want a rigid solar panel with an aluminum frame or a semi-flexible one. Flexible panels contain special solar cells that can be a bit pricier, but they’re easier to install and are a bit more versatile. They can be mounted on curved surfaces, giving you more placement options.

Waterproof Rating

Since you’ll be using your panels on the water, it’s essential that you choose one with a good waterproof rating. Some of the best options are IP67 and IP65. These will ensure your panels and charge controllers or regulators remain safe and at low risk of fire even when exposed to moisture and direct water contact.

Accessories

Finally, you should consider what your kit comes with. Some come with only panels, so you’ll need to buy a controller, an inverter and a battery to complete your setup. Some come with a combination of these parts, although batteries and inverters aren’t commonly included. Some panels also include mounting brackets, although this is also uncommon.

Thinking about the additional equipment you’ll need to purchase after buying your panels will help you budget more effectively for your entire system.

How Do Solar Panels Work With Boats?

PV panels for boats work just like panels for residential use — they collect sunlight and route the energy either to a storage or use system.

Since boat solar systems are entirely off-grid, most require the following:

• Solar panels
• A charge controller
• An inverter
• Mounting brackets or other mounting hardware
• A backup battery for energy storage

We’ll explain what each of these components does in the section below, and then we’ll get into how to set up and maintain your system.

Equipment for a Marine Solar System

The main components you’ll absolutely need for your boat solar system are PV panels and a controller. If you plan to store energy or use it to charge common electronics, you’ll also need a battery and an inverter.

The panels are the pieces of the system that collect energy from the sun. The electricity generated is then passed to your controller, which limits the amount of power that flows through the wires to your battery or device.

The charge controller helps prevent overcharging batteries or electronics when production is high, and it also prevents battery drainage when production is low. Some panels are equipped with bypass diodes to provide the same safety features.

The solar energy that’s collected is direct current (DC), while most electronics, including standard light fixtures, use alternating current (AC) power. An inverter is used to convert DC current to AC so that you can use your solar power to power devices directly. If you don’t have DC lights in your boat, for example, an inverter might be necessary to provide lighting.

A battery storage system is exactly what it sounds like: it’s a battery bank that stores solar energy for later use.

Solar batteries are useful for two main reasons on boats.

• First, if you ever experience cloudy days, your solar production might very well drop below what you need to provide power to your devices. In that case, having a battery to pull stored energy from can be helpful in maintaining charging capability or electricity.
• Additionally, a battery on board can be useful for maintaining backup power for emergencies. If your boat’s built-in battery ever fails or you need to charge emergency communication or navigation devices, a battery will come in handy.

Installation

Since you want your solar panels to be exposed to as much sun as possible, it’s best to install them at or near the highest point on your boat — often the bimini. This will prevent them from getting shade from other parts of your boat during the day, regardless of which direction your vessel is moving.

It’s also typically best to install your panels as close to parallel with the surface of the earth as possible. Since your boat will be moving around a lot, it’s not realistic to install them facing the path of the sun in the sky as you would on a home. Laying them flat gives you the best chance of always collecting at least some sunlight.

You, of course, need to consider available space as well, so remember to take measurements of your installation site and compare them to your panels before beginning the process.

Finally, you should consider where your batteries will be — if applicable — and where your wiring will run once your installation is complete. Keeping these things in mind will help ensure that the installation process goes as smoothly as possible.

Below, we’ll include a brief step-by-step guide on how to install a solar system on your boat.

• First, take measurements of where your panels will be installed, the path the wiring will take to all components and where your battery, inverter and controller will be placed. Making sure you have enough room for all of your components will help avoid headaches once you get started.
• We recommend mounting your batteries, inverter and controller first. These are generally the easier components to mount, so they’re the easiest to move once installed.
• Next, mount your panels. The process for this will depend on the panels you choose and where you plan to install them. You should follow the installation instructions for the mounting brackets or hardware you purchase.
• Finally, you can wire your system, beginning with the connection between the panels and the controller and then the connections to the inverter and battery.
• You can test your system by using a voltmeter or by checking to see if your powered devices function as intended. Some controllers will also show you if your panels are providing energy and how much they’re producing.

For more guidance and information on how to set up your boat solar system, you can check out the video below:

Maintenance

Thankfully, solar systems are relatively maintenance-free once installed, although you should carry out routine system checks and cleaning to ensure you continue to enjoy maximum safety and energy production.

You should spray down your panels with water about once every six months to get any accumulation of dirt or salt off of them. This will help maximize energy generation. Around the same time, you should also check the wires and connectors for corrosion, which is more likely to occur if you use your boat in saltwater.

After major storms, it’s a good idea to ensure that none of the connections between components were lost. A simple disconnect could lead to your battery charging issues, which could be an issue if you ever need backup power.

Lastly, it’s worth mentioning that solar systems on boats are generally considered safe. There is a small risk of fire but provided you carry out the proper maintenance, you should avoid any serious issues.

Are Marine Solar Panels Worth It?

The answer to this question really depends on who you ask. For some boat owners, PV panels are essential. Not only can they provide backup power for emergencies, but they can also improve your quality of life at sea and the enjoyment of your boat.

For many people, these things are indispensable, so solar systems are well worth the investment. For certain types of boats — like small fishing boats and sailboats — solar panels will be the only source of electricity.

Other boat owners feel comfortable relying on generators if they have them, and some use their boats only for short durations, which makes having an on-board solar array less valuable.

For most people, though, having at least a small solar system to provide backup power for emergencies is worthwhile. From there, opting to up the size of your system to improve your time at sea isn’t hard to get behind.

FAQ: Marine Solar Panels

Below, we’ll answer a few of the most common questions we get about solar panel systems made for boats.

What are the best marine solar panels?

In our opinion, the best solar panels for boat use are the SunPower 170W solar panels. These are flexible panels that allow for easy and versatile installation.

They are some of the most efficient panels suitable for boat use, and they provide an incredible 170 watts each. This is enough power for just about anything you need electricity for on your boat and for emergency equipment in low-light conditions.

These panels are a bit expensive, and they don’t come with any additional equipment. However, the junction boxes have a waterproof rating of IP67, come with a five-year warranty for equipment and high efficiency and are made from high-quality, durable materials for years of use.

Will solar panels keep my boat battery charged?

Yes, solar panels can be hooked up to keep your boat’s 12 volt battery charged. However, you need to make sure you install a system that is sized appropriately for your boat’s needs.

You can check how much power your boat draws from its battery system by looking at the loads (in amps or watts) of each device. You can also use your battery monitor if you have one to check the energy demand of each individual component pulling power. Then, choose solar panels that produce a bit more energy than your system needs.

If you live in an area that experiences a lot of cloudy weather, you might want to size up your system even more to ensure your system generates enough electricity.

How much does it cost to put solar panels on a boat?

The cost to install a solar array on your boat can range from around $150 up to well over $1,000. Where in this range your total falls depends primarily on how much energy you need to produce.

If you’re looking for portable solar panels to take on and off a small boat with you for emergency use only — which is typical for sailboats and smaller boats that don’t normally have electricity — you’ll likely be looking at the $150 end of the spectrum.

If you have a much larger boat and want to be able to maintain power for your essential equipment and some non-essentials, then you’ll likely push your all-in cost closer to the higher end of the range.

What are the benefits of solar panels on boats?

Installing solar panels on your boat can provide quite a few key benefits, although the perks you’ll actually experience depend on your situation and your specific boat.

Perhaps most importantly, solar panels can charge your boat’s battery and maintain electricity for emergencies. Most systems — even small ones — can serve to charge your phone, GPS or other emergency devices in case you run into problems out on the water.

Larger systems can also provide power for recreational use, like charging phones, powering speaker systems, keeping beer cold and more.

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Updated 1 month ago

Everything you need to know about installing solar panels on boats

Written by Ana Almerini

Find out what solar panels cost in your area

Solar panels built specifically for use on boats are a great option as a source of backup power when you’re out on the water. Solar panels act as a way to recharge the boat's batteries and keep your appliances running, all without needing to buy gas for a noisy gas-powered generator.  

Marine solar panels are a relatively niche market, but there are plenty of options to choose from since typically, you can install any DIY off-grid solar panel on your boat. 

Our favorite solar panels for boats are:

Topsolar flexible solar panel

Renogy 100W 12V solar panel

SunPower 170W solar panel

Below, we get into the best solar panels to buy for your boat depending on your needs, how to determine which size you will need, and why utilizing solar power for your boat is a smart idea.

Key takeaways

Solar panels on your boat maintain your battery’s charge to ensure that your appliances always have power, without a loud and expensive gas generator.

An average 30-foot boat will need about 350 watts of solar power to maintain electricity.

To determine how many panels your boat needs, you need to figure out how much power it uses, which you can easily do with a battery monitor. It also depends on how big your boat’s battery is.

You can install solar panels in unique locations on your boat but it is important that they can track the sun’s movement throughout the day.

What is the best use for boat solar panels?

Boats use a lot of energy for things like maintaining autopilot, keeping navigation lights on, and powering radio systems. Solar panels can provide the energy to carry out these tasks and maintain your boat's battery if it happens to be sitting idle. In either circumstance, your battery will never run out of energy. 

Not to mention, compared to gas-powered generators, solar panels have the added benefit of being quiet. They also don’t produce excess heat that makes sitting in your boat with a gas generator unpleasant on hot days.

You can use solar panels for any size boat. For smaller sailboats, the main job of your solar panels would be to keep the battery fully charged for your boat’s electricity. For larger boats, they help reduce or eliminate the need to use the engine to provide excess power. 

The average 30-foot boat would require about 300-350 watts of power . Depending on your energy use and boat size, you need more or less solar power to provide you with electricity.  

How to choose the right solar panels for your boat

The first step to determining what size solar panel will work for your boat is figuring out how much power your boat is using . You can do this by checking the labels on your appliances for the typical amp hours and volts used.

Or, you can use a battery monitor to measure the amount of energy your fridge, lights, or the other appliances on your boat consume while in use. After finding the amp hours your boat uses per day, you can determine the wattage of power your solar panels need to produce. 

This example is extremely limited, you will need to determine how much energy your entire boat is using to make sure your panels provide enough power to keep your battery charged. But, technically if you had one 300-watt solar panel, or (3) 100W solar panels, they would generate 2,800W over those 8 hours. That energy would be more than enough to keep the above appliances running. 

The size of your boat’s battery will also factor into which size solar panel you need . For instance, many DIY solar panels are meant to act as a battery charger to a 12-volt lithium battery, which is the typical size within a boat. But if you have a larger boat with a larger battery, you might need more than 350 watts of power. 

Additional things to consider are whether you will need a charge controller and if you have enough unshaded space for your solar panels to absorb the maximum amount of sunlight. 

Do you need a charge controller? 

A charge controller acts as a regulator for the amount of energy that is transferred from your solar panel into your boat’s battery. This helps to make sure that your battery is not overloaded and overcharged, which can ruin the battery over time. 

While it is not necessary, it is a good idea to install a charge controller with your solar panel system to help manage the energy load that your battery receives. This will prolong the life of your battery while ensuring your boat uses the exact amount of energy it needs. 

Do you have enough space for boat solar panels?

Having a dedicated spot on your boat that has access to the full sun is key. Any shading, such as from a sail on your boat, will reduce the amount of energy your panels produce. While simply bringing portable solar panels aboard is an option, permanently mounting the panels to your boat makes it easier to always have your panels ready to go. 

Because boats typically only have room for a small solar system, getting the most out of your limited space is key. With limited space, it’s best to look for high efficiency panels because you will need less of them to produce the energy you need.

Learn more : What are the most efficient solar panels in 2022?

Or something as simple as the setup below can power your boat's battery and be angled towards direct sunlight throughout the day while not taking up valuable space on the boat.  

What are the best solar panels for boats to buy?

Any type of panel can be used on a boat such as monocrystalline, polycrystalline or thin-film. However, it is important to note that some companies exclude salt water and marine environments from their warranties. 

We've listed some options below, you can choose based on where you have space to put the panels. For instance, thin-film panels are less efficient but they are flexible. So if you wanted to place a few panels on your boat’s roof versus one panel taking up valuable space, thin-film panels would be a good choice. 

On the other hand, monocrystalline and polycrystalline panels have higher efficiency ratings and will ensure you get the most energy from your limited space or during low-light conditions. So if you have a location that can support racking, monocrystalline or polycrystalline solar panels are a better option. 

Below are some of our top picks for solar panels for boats:

Most practical 

Topsolar flexible solar panel 

Cost : $149.99 Buy Now

The Topsolar 100W flexible solar panel is a practical, semi-flexible, cheap option. It does not come with a charge controller or an inverter but you can buy a few of these to create a simple solar panel system on your boat.  

This flexible panel also allows you to utilize more space since this can be molded to fit untraditional angels on your boat. 

Best quality, small cost 

Renogy 100W 12V solar panel 

Cost : $103.44 Buy Now

The Renogy 100W 12V solar panel is a great option. At 21%, it is a high efficiency monocrystalline panel manufactured by a reputable solar panel company.

There are pre-drilled holes for easy drilling to a mount on your boat. If you have space to secure solar panels to a mount, the Renogy panels will help you maximize energy output.

Best overall 

Cost : $399.00 Buy Now

The SunPower 170W panel is a great flexible solar panel for off-grid use. Choose this option if you are interested in the versatility that a flexible solar panel offers and also want a reputable brand name with a high efficiency rating. 

While these panels do not come with a solar charge controller, they must be used with one, so add one to your cart like the Victron Energy SmartSolar MPPT charge controller . 

Why solar panels are a good choice for backup power on boats

Having a source of backup power on a boat is very important, you do not want to be caught far from land with a dead battery. Solar energy is the perfect choice because on a typical boating day, there is ample sunlight available as renewable energy. Because boats rely on a battery for electricity, a solar panel can ensure that this battery always has power. 

There are many solar panel options available for your boat and can easily be installed DIY. They will help with your sense of security while saving money because you can skip out on the traditional gas generator and rely on a self-sufficient solar power system. 

Ana is the Marketing & Communications Manager at SolarReviews, working within the solar industry since 2020. With a Master's in Climate and Society and professional experience in marketing, she helps communicate the value of solar to homeowners and build awareness of the SolarReviews brand. On weekends you can find her at the Jersey shore, reading a book from the ever-increasing stack on her side table, or eating food someone else cooked....

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Best boat solar panels: 6 options for boosting your yacht’s power

• Phil Sampson

We take a look at 6 of the best solar panels for boats, from folding units to cutting-edge flexible panels

Free power forever? If only it was that simple! Photo: Graham Snook

For many in the boating community, boat solar panels represent something of a holy grail. They are, after all, the gift that keeps on giving, aren’t they? Free power forever, (or many years anyway), coupled with zero running costs – what could possibly be better than that?

All you have to do to make this dream come true is banish the memory of the purchase price from your mind – something boaters are notoriously adept at doing – and wait for the sun to shine. If only it were that simple…

The fact of the matter is that there are costs associated with boat solar panels beyond the price of the panels themselves. While some types of panels can be simply laid on the deck, in many cases some form of mount will be required.

Then there’s the wiring to hook them up to your battery, plus any fitment and/or cosmetic work needed to hide the cabling from view. If your panels are to be left connected permanently, you’ll require a regulator too.

This will prevent both overcharging and a reverse flow of power out of the battery after dark. If you do not fit a regulator, a blocking diode can be used to halt the reverse flow instead.

But once all of the above have been overcome – and providing you’ve done your homework to ensure your panels will generate sufficient power to cover your needs – then, yes, it’s a power free for all!

There are many other benefits to boat solar panels too: First and foremost, they work all on their own – solar panels are automatic, so you can just let them get on with the job.

Apart from the occasional wipe over and a wiring check, they’re largely maintenance-free too. Unlike wind generators, (especially like the one with wonky bearings on that boat moored next to you), they don’t make any noise.

And finally, your battery will be pleased, because keeping it from going flat can extend its life.

Here’s our choice of the best boat solar panels.

6 of the best boat solar panels available right now

Giosolar 1,000W flexible solar panel

Best flexible boat solar panel

Delivering a mighty kilowatt of power, (not far off the amount used by a one bedroom house), this Giostar package comprises ten separate 100W panels, each of which is 1,050 x 540 x 2.5mm in size.

Capable of charging either 12 or 24V batteries, a kit of this magnitude is one for the most serious of solar enthusiasts – Eco Experts reckons 660-990W is sufficient for a liveaboard.

Giostar panels are abrasion resistant, anti-rust and dust proof and their junction boxes are sealed and waterproof. The panels are also light, thin and flexible, and can withstand being bent up to 30 degrees.

Price: £1,464.45

Buy it now on Amazon (UK)

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

Mobisolar 100W foldable solar panel

Best foldable boat solar panel

Mobisolar’s foldable panels are light (4.5kg) and measure 121 x 56.5 x 3 cm when unfolded, with the longest dimension reducing to 60 cm when folded, making them easy to transport.

The panels use advanced technology to provide superior performance, with each panel subjected to a thorough testing routine before and after assembly.

So confident is Mobisolar in its products that the company stands behind its panels with a two-year defect warranty and a five years’ electrical performance warranty.

For maximum flexibility in operation, three USB power outputs are fitted per panel, one delivering 100W, the second 60W and the third 10W.

Price: £145.00

Buy it now on eBay

Eco-worthy 100W solar panel kit

With 100W panels being ideal for keeping batteries topped up, our second offering in this power class is from Eco-worthy, a major player in the solar panel field.

Competitively priced, our link below is for a kit which includes an LCD control unit and four ‘Z’ brackets in addition to the panel itself.

The Eco-worthy 100W panel is of the monocrystalline type, which means their cells are made from an ingot grown from a single silicon crystal of high purity. It’s also a rigid panel, so this particular product would need to be mounted on a frame or flat surface.

Price: £113.99

PV Logic 20W Flexi solar panel

Offered by Force 4 Chandlery, this lightweight semi-flexible solar panel comes complete with a dual battery solar charge controller.

The panel is completely waterproof thanks to its six-layer, heavy-duty laminate finish, and should a wayward crew member plod over it in their size 9s the panel’s dimpled top surface is ‘self healing’.

The controller can handle both 12 and 24V systems and the panel’s PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) charging system is efficient and battery-lifetime friendly.

Supplied with LED battery-status indicators and 4 metres of cable, PV Logic Flexi panels can be bonded to flat or curved surfaces.

Price: £149.95

Buy it now on Force 4 Chandlery

Powoxi 10W solar panel

At the budget end of the market comes this Powoxi 10W solar panel charger kit. While you won’t go far on just 10W of power, this kit claims to be capable of charging and maintaining various 12V batteries.

The kit features a fully automatic charging and maintenance controller, which provides intelligent three-level charging and protection against short- and open-circuits, under voltage and overloading.

A reverse flow system is included and the interface is described as ‘plug and play’. While the panel is rainproof, it will not withstand immersion in water, so this is a product to perhaps leave behind on the dock when you take to the water.

Price: £27.59

Eco-worthy 10W/5W solar panel

The least pricey option we could find anywhere, this baby 5W solar panel is simply a trickle charger. But if that’s all you need then look no further, for this is another Eco-worthy product.

The technology in the panel is polycrystalline, so it’s not the most efficient on the market, but for this power that’s hardly a great concern.

The panel is supplied with two charging options; a pair of crocodile clips which attach directly to the battery, and a cigarette lighter plug.

According to the product’s eBay listing, this seller alone has sold approaching 3,000 of these units – and at this price, we can understand why!

Price: £9.99

Top 3 Best Solar Panels For Sailboats

Last Updated by

Daniel Wade

June 15, 2022

Choosing whether or not to install solar panels on your sailboat is a big decision. They are not exactly cheap, though they can start to pay themselves off pretty quickly.

This article is going to cover not only why you might want to use solar panels but all the benefits they provide. You will also find a helpful guide on which solar panels would be best for you and your budget. Hopefully, by the end, you will feel confident in your decision to install solar panels on your sailboat and even have an idea of which ones you might like.

Table of contents

Are solar panels on sailboats necessary?

Whether or not you should be installing solar panels on your boat is a matter of choice, not out of necessity. Sailboats get their power from the wind, by harnassing it in their sail. So if you plan to be sailing for the afternoon you probably don’t need solar panels.

You could charge a battery pack from the marina and that will probably see you through several trips. The problems only really start to arise if you are planning to be on your sailboat for longer periods, or even permanently. If you plan to live on your sailboat year-round, even if you spend 80% of it in a marina, you would be better off with some solar panels. Even if it is just as a backup source of power.

Are solar panels on boats safe?

Solar panels are generally pretty safe. They have no moving parts and typically have a very strong protective cover over them so you never come in contact with the electrics themself. So, as a source of power, they are generally pretty safe. The only time they may become unsafe is if they are badly damaged.

Solar panels are often covered by glass plating that keeps them safe. It also helps them absorb sunlight and warmth. This is great, except when the glass breaks. If the glass protective cover on your solar panels should crack and splinter you are at risk of serious injury from sharp shards of glass. Not only is the glass itself dangerous at this point, so are the electronic components inside. They have powerful currents running through them, and if you come in contact with them you may be in for a shock.

Furthermore, if these electronics get wet they can become deadly. Electricity and water do not mix well at all. Being as you are on a sailboat, at sea, the chances of them getting wet is very high. Luckily, the chances of them breaking in the first place are slim to none. The only real way they would break, besides vandalism, is by debris hitting them during a bad storm. There is not often debris at sea, so this shouldn’t be too much of a problem.

What are the benefits of having solar panels on a sailboat?

There are so many great benefits of having solar panels on a sailboat. They can be a lifesaver if you find yourself at sea for a long time. There benefits range from trivial comforts to being the difference between life and death. Here are some of the benefits you might not have considered about having solar panels installed on your sailboat.

Money-saving

Solar panels are not cheap, it is far cheaper to just run a generator or charge your batteries from the marina the whole time. At least, it is in the short term. Over time, it can start to become very expensive. With solar panels, you are looking at a big initial cost (the solar panels themself) and then it’s smooth sailing. You don’t need to pay for power again. Solar panels last for about 40 years before they start to become too inefficient at producing power. The cost of a few solar panels upfront compared to 40 years of marina fees and gasoline for a generator is the financially savvy move.

Emergency power

If you find yourself at sea, the wind dies down (or becomes too strong), and you find yourself stuck bobbing around waiting for more favorable conditions you may run into trouble. Depending on how long you are out there, you may find yourself with dead electronics. Be it a satellite phone, radio, or secondary engine (depending on the boat). Having a set of solar panels and a power bank can be a genuine lifesaver in these situations.

Comfort amenities

Whether you are day sailing or making a week-long voyage, having access to the comforts in life can make the whole journey so much more enjoyable. The amenities may not be available to you without having a constant source of power at sea. Having access to a kettle, tv, videogame system, radio or microwave oven may be the only thing keeping you going at rougher times. As exciting as sailing can be, when you aren’t sailing and are just bobbing around it can be quite dull. The sea is beautiful, but there is only so much time you can spend looking at the water before you miss the comforts of land. With solar panels, you can bring those comforts with you.

Eco-friendly

There are only two alternatives to solar panels. A gasoline generator, and taking power from the grid. Neither of these is good for the environment. Luckily, solar panels are a great third option. Solar panels are completely eco-friendly and are great for the environment. This is not just great for the earth, and your conscience, but for the journey itself. If you are running a gasoline generator at sea you are going to be listening to it thrumming away and smell the burning gasoline. Wouldnt you prefer silence and nothing but the smell of the sea breeze?

How much do solar panels cost?

How much solar panels cost is almost entirely tied into both their voltage/wattage and whether or not they are portable panels. Portable solar panels are great for people who don’t spend a lot of time on their boat or are happy enough living off the marina’s power grid. Permanent solar panels, the kind that may need to professionally installed, can end up costing far more. They are also likely to be far superior and you can pretty much forget about them once they are installed.

Portable solar panels will cost just a few hundred dollars each. You will need a few to be sustainable, but that’s not going to be much of a problem. These portable solar panels can just be rolled out on the deck of your boat, weighed down, and then hooked up to a battery pack. The battery itself here is going to be the most expensive part of the whole set up. A decent-sized battery could set you back a $1000. But, when charged fully it will last days. Even with constant use.

Permanently installed solar panels can cost one or two thousand dollars in some cases. The advantage here though is once they are installed that’s it, you can forget about them. You don’t have to put them up, take them down, and find somewhere to stow them every time they need using. They too will need to be hooked up to a battery, the battery is still only going to cost you $1000. If you are installing permanent solar panels because you plan to be making long voyages, it is ideal to have two or perhaps even three large batteries hooked up to your boat. One to run off, one or two for emergencies.

How do I maintain my solar panels?

Solar panels, unlike gasoline generators, are generally pretty easy to maintain. They have no moving parts and are thus pretty self-sufficient. They don’t need taking apart and they last as long as 40 years. That being said, if they do break they need repairing as soon as possible. The exposed electrics can be deadly when water is thrown into the mix. Which, on a boat, is almost always. The glass cover will need replacing and the electronics inside may need repairing, though not always. Don’t ever attempt to do this yourself unless you are experienced at making these repairs. The cost of hiring someone to do it for you is preferable to being dead. Solar panels have very powerful electric currents, that when in contact with water and yourself can be fatal. As mentioned above, these panels rarely break so you will likely not ever run into this problem. If you do, hire a contractor.

Do my solar panels need cleaning?

Solar panels work by converting the light and heat of the sun into useable power. The process itself is rather complicated but the results are simple to understand. That being said, there are some reasons that your solar panels will stop working as effectively. They all revolve around a lack of sunlight. It could be because it is night time. It could be because it is very cloudy. Or, it could be because they are dirty. If solar panels become too dusty, dirty, and become too covered in grime they stop operating at maximum efficiency. This is not as much of a problem at sea, the sea spray stops dust settling. The biggest thing you will need to clean off your solar panels is salt build-up and slime. This is easy enough to do with some warm soapy water. Freshwater, not seawater. You want to be removing as much salt as possible. Salt is corrosive to electronics, so removing it is important. Never clean your solar panels using pressure washers as they can crack the glass.

Which are the best solar panels for sailing?

There are so many options on the market at various price points. Here are three very different options that will all make good choices, depending on your needs. It is important to consider not just price but power output. Spending a lot of money on solar panels now might not feel ideal, but it is the most cost-effective decision.

1. Renogy Starter Kit

This starter kit is going to be perfect for installing on almost any sized boat. There are four solar panels, each can be fitted permanently to the boat. They can be mounted (and unmounted) easily, for your convenience. They do require a flat surface, but they are small enough that that likely won’t be too much of a problem. This starter kit is very middle of the pack price-wise but should provide enough power for a small to medium-sized vessel easily. It is also possible to buy extra panels individually should you need them.

Wattage: 400/4 (100 per panel)

2. Nature Power Rigid

The nature power rigid is a large, powerful, single solar panel. If you are looking for the right panels to power your entire boat comfortably, these are the ones for you. They are very large so they will need a large flat surface area. alternatively, they can be hung vertically from rails. This is an inefficient way of using them, so you would need to buy more this way. Nature power makes various solar panels so you could find some smaller ones of the same brand to supplement it. This one is not so easy to install, you might need to hire someone to install it for you.

Wattage: 165

3. Nature Power Monocrystalline

Nature power makes a portable solar panel that fits inside a special briefcase. It is perfect for stowing away easily and only taking it out when it is needed. It is decently powerful considering its portable, but there is the inconvenience factor of having to set it up each time. If you planned to buy the nature power rigid, buying one of these portable panels might be ideal for supplementing your power supply when it is especially sunny. Though, it may be cheaper for you to just fit more of the Nature Power Rigids.

Wattage: 120

Hopefully, you now have a good idea about whether solar panels would be right for you and your sailboat. Sailing is great, but the lack of power at sea can be dreadfully boring. Luckily, there are so many great options available on the market. Not just the ones mentioned above. Buying a solar panel is an investment, the initial cost is minor compared to the steady return from all the savings you will make.

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Estimating Solar Panel Size for Boats

The starting point for a successful solar panel installation is quantifying your requirements. We present here a simple analysis based on the test boat used for our recent report on choosing and installing a solar panel. Some values are from experience, and others are accepted rules of thumb. For more details on choosing and installing a solar panel, see the March 2018 issue of Practical Sailor online.

Energy Balance

Look up the current draw of each piece of equipment (confirm with panel ammeter if available) and estimate the number of hours operated. Record the number and capacity of your batteries, recognizing that you cannot draw below 50% charge without shortening their life, and that you will seldom charge past 85% while away from the dock-as a result, only 35% of nameplate capacity is really useable. Finally, total your charging sources, including engine, wind, and solar. For solar, take the rated wattage x 5 hours/12 = amp-hours while on passage and wattage x 7 hours/12 = amp-hours while at anchor (sails do not shade and the boom can be rigged out to the side). This is far below the rated capacity-sailors in the tropics will do better, and sailors farther north or sailing in the winter more poorly-but this is an accepted starting point.

Estimating Panel Output

How many days can you manage with poor generation? Are you willing to economize during a long cloudy stretch? Will you recharge at a marina or by running the engine periodically? Long-term cruisers appreciate an abundance of power, while the occasional cruisers may be satisfied with less.

Saving Power

Every AH (amp-hour) consumed has a real cost in weight, panels, and dollars. If you can reduce consumption by 50 AH/day you will save a battery (the useable capacity), a 120 watt panel, and perhaps a mounting arch. The cost savings might be $500 and 150 pounds for just a few bulbs.

• Lighting. Switch from incandescent to LED and fluorescent lighting, starting with the lights you use most. We use LEDs and fluorescent for the anchor, salon, and cockpit lights, but since we seldom run at night, we left the running and steaming lights alone. Likewise, the deck light and many task lights remain halogen or incandescent; they are not used enough to matter.
• Go to bed at night and get up with the sun. Big savings in juice and more time to play.
• The gas solenoid is a big user for us; it runs the propane fridge and cabin heater, so it is on for long hours, but we can turn it off at night or go without refrigeration now and then.
• Fans. Run them on low speed and watch the hours. A wind scoop doesn’t use power.
• Instruments. Do you actually need GPS and other instruments full-time on passage? Twenty years ago they didn’t even exist. Balance the sails to minimize the load on the autopilot.

If you’re not sure if it’s time to upgrade or replace your solar panels, the upcoming June 2023 issue offers detailed guidance on evaluating old solar panels and house batteries. If you are upgrading your boat’s electrical system, adding new accessories, or just replacing some wires, our recently updated six-volume ebook Marine Electrical Systems covers everything you need to know about electrical systems–including Batteries, System Installation (including rewiring and lightning protection), Panels, Monitors, Charging, Alternative Energy, and AC Systems.

Power Usage Table

Drew Frye is a frequent contributor to Practical Sailor. He blogs at www.saildelmarva.blogspot.com

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Good subject; article can not be understood by most people.

What people need to know is: I have a x feet sailboat; my boat sits idle y days/week, I live in z area; how many watts will I need most of the time?

What people need to know is; do I have enough places to put the panels, are there panels designed to work well vertically, are flexible panels practical?, etc.

There really isn’t any way to get a realistic daily usage estimate without an amp-hour meter. Do you actually know how many hours per day the fridge compressor runs? They cost a couple hundred and take a couple hours to install.

On my boat, it’s the fridge that is the energy hog. Long ago, I replaced almost all lights (cabin, navigation, and anchor) with LEDs. Cut energy use significantly and worth the money. Newer electronics also have lower draw than very old units. Radars now work at a tenth the prior draw.

Can any readers comment on solar panel output for various mount locations? Bimini, dodger, rotating on stanchions, cabin top What’s best? What’s acceptable?

BTW Boats with a head and galley qualify as second homes and thus are eligible for federal credits for solar panels and batteries bigger than 250 amp-hours. 30% off

After communicating with someone cruising in the Pacific I followed his advice…”Put up as much solar you have room for and you can afford.” With that advice I installed 4x140W (560W) Kyocera panels; 2x140W over the dodger and 2x140W on a new stern arch on my Tayana Vancouver 42. The panels are permanently fixed and I never worry about adjusting them for the best angle. On my roundtrip to Hawaii I never had to start the diesel engine to charge the batteries and I don’t have a genset. I did use the Pacific Cup 2012 Sample Energy Budget as a template and modified it for determining my energy use and highly recommend it. I strongly second the comments about being reasonable in your use of electrical power as it is the easiest and most cost-effective way to manage that requirement…take a very hard look at everything that uses electrical power; do you really need it or use it as much as you do?

I don’t understand the reference to just LA/Flood batteries…

I havev all LiFePo4 both main bank and 12v house and never have any power issues…

I simply maxed out as much as physically possible on my narrow beam 40ft sloop both PV and storage…

A couple items i dont understand. The ‘charging chart’ above has engine charging at 2 amps. This seems very low. Most alternators output in excess of 50 amps. Plus the chart has 2 amps for 5 hrs with a total AH of blank. Also dont understand the ‘solar charging row’. The number just dont jive.

The 2 amps is easy; the example boat had two 9.9 hp outboards that charge 1 amp each. Yes, 2 Amps x 5 hours should have been 10 Ah. Of course, many days the engine does not run.

The refrigeration on the boat in the example was propane, thus no usage.

Additionally, it should be obvious that not all of the items will happen every day. Passage making and at-anchor are different.

Every boat is different. The idea is that by estimating usage, generation, and inventory (batteries) you can better understand your system.

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Marine Solar Panels: The Best Options for Boats

August 29, 2021 by Travis Turgeon Leave a Comment

Over the last decade, massive improvements have been made with solar power technology, making it more efficient and affordable to use solar panels on an individual level. The sailing community uniquely benefits from the improvements, as a single solar panel can charge boat batteries, and multiple panels can fully power onboard appliances. While it’s not tough to decide to install marine solar panels on your boat, navigating through a new and complex topic can be challenging. This guide helps simplify the process of buying marine solar panels, allowing you to harness solar power sooner without wading through loads of detailed information. 

What are the Benefits of Installing Marine Solar Panels on Your Boat?

There are numerous benefits of adding solar power to your boat, and those benefits are only growing as solar technology and innovation are furthered. Among the most alluring of these benefits is the money you’ll be able to save by generating renewable energy. Of course, there will be the upfront costs of purchasing and installing the system, but those are one-time costs that free electricity will make up for over time. Between the fluctuating fuel prices and operating costs of generators, who wouldn’t be happy to switch to a more consistent alternative?

Another great benefit of using solar to power your boat’s electricity is that you don’t need to monitor the system as it produces energy. This makes it possible to leave your boat, take a nap, or simply enjoy leisure time while your batteries recharge. 

An often overlooked benefit is that solar panels operate silently, so you won’t have to worry about bothering neighbors or marine life while in use. This can be particularly beneficial when you’re snorkeling or diving from your boat . Loud generators scare away marine life, making your time in the water less enjoyable than it would be if you were using a solar energy system. 

How do Marine Solar Panels Work?

Solar panels for boats work just about the same as any other portable solar energy production system. There are four main components to solar energy systems. Suppliers sell the components individually, or as pre-arranged solar panel kits:

• Solar Panels
• Charge Controllers

The system generates electricity through the solar panels and the inverter. When sunlight hits the solar panels, it creates an electrical current that runs to the battery via the charge controller. The charge controller regulates the amount of energy (voltage) that a battery receives, as too much voltage can overload and damage the battery. The amount of electricity that the system produces depends on the size of the panels and the amount of sunlight they receive. 

Whether or not you’ll need an inverter as part of your solar power system depends on your boat’s electrical setup and the type of current your boat’s electronics and appliances use. An inverter converts Direct Current (DC) electricity into Alternating Current (AC) electricity, so you won’t need an inverter if you only run DC electronics and appliances. Refrigerators, dishwashers, toasters, and microwaves are all examples of items that run on AC electricity, so you will likely need an inverter if you spend a significant amount of time on your boat. 

Types of Marine Solar Panels

Depending on your energy requirements, your budget, and your installation location, one type of solar panel may work better than others. There are three different types of marine solar panels worth considering for your boat:

• Monocrystalline
• Polycrystalline

Each has its own advantages, so you should understand the differences in solar cells to efficiently outfit your vessel. As a quick note, all solar panels discussed here are sensitive to shading. Once partial shading occurs, it drastically reduces the amount of energy the solar panel can produce. If multiple cells are shaded, the solar panel is almost entirely unable to produce energy. 

Monocrystalline Vs. Polycrystalline Solar Panels

While each type of solar panel shares common electricity production features, there are a few key differences to consider before installing one type over the other on your boat. The main difference to be aware of is the type of solar cell each panel uses. 

Monocrystalline solar panels use solar cells made from just one silicone crystal, while polycrystalline cells are made up of many silicone crystals melted together. The difference, simply put, is that monocrystalline cells take up less space without losing efficiency. We’ll keep our explanation simple. However, you may be interested in learning more about how silicon solar cells are formed and applied to solar panels before making a purchase. 

Both monocrystalline and polycrystalline solar panels are rigid fixtures, so you’ll need to have a suitable area on the boat to install them. 

Most consider monocrystalline solar panels to be superior to polycrystalline and amorphous solar panels in terms of efficiency and looks. The single crystal solar cells are made from high-quality silicone and arranged neatly to maximize space efficiency. They also form a relatively attractive pattern for those concerned with aesthetics. Monocrystalline solar panels are the most heat tolerant, remaining relatively efficient in even the harshest conditions. They are also (generally speaking) the longest-lasting panels of the group. As expected, though, they are the most expensive option. 

Polycrystalline panels aren’t as efficient as monocrystalline panels, so they require more surface area to generate the same amount of energy. As a tradeoff, these panels are less expensive and are slightly less sensitive to shading. 

Amorphous Solar Panels

Amorphous solar panels are only about 50% as efficient as crystalline panels, but they come with a huge benefit. These silicone solar panels are flexible. You can roll, fold, or wrap surfaces that are otherwise unable to house a rigid solar board. The ability to conform to odd shapes makes them perfect for use on various boat surfaces. They also differ in the way of their ability to generate electricity. Amorphous panels are especially susceptible to heat, and their production drops off entirely when they get too hot. They are far more efficient than crystalline panels in low-light conditions, though, so they’re ideal in overcast conditions. Due to their low electricity generation, most people only use these panels for trickle-charging their batteries.

Calculating your Boat’s Power Consumption

Calculating your power needs can be tricky, especially if you’re just getting set up on a new boat. Each boat requires different amounts of energy, and each person or crew will use different types of electronics and appliances. You also need to consider how many hours of sun your boat sees, which is an educated guess at best. With that said, some boats can get by on a single 100-watt solar panel. Others need multiple panels just to run the appliances.

While there really isn’t an “easy” way to calculate your boat’s electrical energy demand, there’s a relatively simple formula to follow to estimate your solar generation needs. First, you’ll need to take inventory of your electrical appliances and find their current ratings. Then you can calculate their average power consumption in Watt-hours. The easiest way to compile the information is to input it into an excel spreadsheet. Once you calculate the Watt-hours, you can determine how many solar panels you need to run your boat on solar energy. Keep in mind that the efficiency of most solar panels is around 15%, so you’ll need to calculate appropriately. 

Where Should You Install Solar Panels on Your Boat?

Once you decide on buying solar panels for your boat, you’ll need to choose where to install them. Choose an area that the panels will be free from any potential collisions with winches or sails. You should also install them perpendicular to the sun and free from any shading that occurs throughout the day. Expose the panels to a fair amount of wind to assist with cooling. Efficiency increases as the panels’ temperature decreases. It’s common to install marine solar panels on top of dinghy davits. Davits at the back of the boat offer good exposure and few other things around the structure. Flexible or semi-flexible solar panels can canvas various shapes and surfaces, so you’ll have more mounting options available.

Other standard mounting options include:

• Fixed Mount
• Adjustable Mount
• Top-of-Pole Mount
• Bimini Mount
• Deck Mount 

What Supporting Equipment Do I Need for My Solar Panels?

As stated in previous sections, there are multiple components to solar generation systems that you must keep in mind. Not only will you need to carefully place your panels, battery, and inverter, but you’ll need to match the battery and supporting equipment so that all things remain compatible. On most days, your solar generation will only happen over a few hours every day, so you need to have an appropriately sized battery to store the power you need. We suggest having a large enough battery to run your boat’s electronics and appliances for a minimum of 24 hours, and preferably two or three days when possible. Having too big of a battery will suffer from undercharging issues, and having too small of a battery won’t be able to keep up with your boat’s energy demands.

Battery Size

You can determine the battery size you need just as you calculated your total energy needs – by calculating Amp-hours. You don’t want to run your battery below 50% capacity, as it can damage the functionality and efficiency. So, if your battery bank has a total of 500 Amp-hours, you have 250 Amp-hours of usable energy. That 250 Amp-hours can run 10 amps of power for 25 hours in total. 

Solar Charge Controller

After arranging a balance between the power output of your solar panels and the intake from your battery, you’ll need to choose an appropriate charge controller for your system. But first, what exactly does a charge controller do? Solar panels and batteries produce and accept energy at different ratios, and that gap can be relatively significant. A solar charge controller acts as the middle man, converting the power produced by the solar panel to a ratio that the battery accepts. 

Two primary solar charge controllers are used on boats: Pulse With Modulation (PWM) and Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT). 

PWM Charge Controllers are simple, efficient, and come at a lower price-point than MPPT controllers. While these charge controllers are less complex, they are better suited for solar arrays below 20 Volts and 200 Watts.

MPPT Charge Controllers have advanced technology, offering 10-30% higher efficiency than PWM controllers. Since they offer more power, they are better for solar arrays exceeding 20 Volts and 200 Watts. MPPT charge controllers also operate more efficiently in cold climates. 

Whether or not you choose to wire your system together or hire a professional electrician is up to you. If you decide to wire the system yourself, you’ll need to purchase the following at a minimum:

• Waterproof Connectors
• MC4 Disconnect Tool
• Compatible Solar Panel Wiring
• MC4 Wire Crimping Tool

Need more input on choosing the right solar panels for your boat?  Ask the #Boatlife community what they think today with a question or comment on our community forum!

If you found this article helpful, please leave a comment below, share it on social media, and subscribe to our email list.

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• Solar on the go

Picking the best solar panels for a sailboat: Buyer’s guide

• 18 Aug 2022

You might have already heard of brave sailors that conquer the oceans with nothing but wits and solar panels. For instance, this year 83-year-old Kenichi Horie became the oldest person to sail solo from the US to Japan on a solar-powered boat. These stories are inspiring, but picking panels for your boat yourself can be a small challenge in itself. That’s why we wrote a short article about the best solar panels for sailboats and how to recognize them.

Start from type of solar panels

When it comes to solar panels for sailboats, their weight and size matters more than with PV modules for residential systems. Efficiency is important but power — not that much, because the energy needs of a boat are relatively low. The first thing you’ll have to decide about your panels is their type.

Generally, you’ll choose between thin-film panels and monocrystalline modules. While polycrystalline panels are still around and they are indeed cheaper than mono panels, they are much less efficient, which means they’ll need more space and add more weight to your boat.

Thin-film panels are light and cheap

Thin-film or flexible solar panels bend well and they are very easy to install which makes them a great choice for boats with difficult configurations. Some sailors say that flexible panels are the best choice for fast boats because they don’t impact the aerodynamics of a vessel as much as rigid panels do.

The downside of flexible panels is their low wattage. If there are many appliances on board, you’ll need several panels and you’ll need to find the right place for each of them. They also age faster than rigid panels — a thin-film panel generally lasts for 10-15 years.

Monocrystalline panels are powerful and reliable

Rigid solar modules, monocrystalline and polycrystalline, are heavier and bulkier than thin-film panels. You can fix flexible panels with adhesives, but rigid panels require drilling. They are also more expensive than flexible panels. 

On the other hand, monocrystalline panels are the most efficient type of panels which means that they provide more power for less space. Even one powerful mono panel can be enough for everything that you’ve got on board. They are also much more reliable and will survive any storm that is coming your way. A monocrystalline panel lasts for at least 25 years.

Panels for boat should be efficient and sturdy

The best solar panels for sailboats don’t have to be powerful, but they better be efficient — find the number in the datasheet. For rigid panels anything over 18-19% is fine. Panels also should be sturdy enough to withstand seastorms. You generally also want good shading tolerance since panels often get shaded by masts and sails. Finally, good performance in low-light conditions is appreciated.

Picking bifacial panels, 72/144-cell panels or larger, anything too powerful generally doesn't make a lot of sense. Performance at high temperatures matters less than it does with home systems. Warranties also play a lesser role. You won’t be able to make use of them because they generally have effect only for residential installations.

The markets of thin-film and rigid panels are different. Generally, a manufacturer of flexible panels doesn’t offer mono- or poly-panels. Canadian Solar, Q CELLS and Jinko Solar are good choices when it comes to monocrystalline modules for boats. Renogy , WindyNation and PowerFilm make fine thin-film panels.

Do the math before purchase

The amount of power for your boat depends on the number of appliances on your board. There are two main ways to determine the size of installation that you need. You can take a test trip and see how much of your battery’s charge you’ve spent in one day. You can also do the calculations manually: write down all the appliances on the board with their power rating and number of hours in use per day. You can read about it in detail in our article " How much solar power to sail the seas? " It doesn’t make sense to oversize a marine PV system, because all the excess power will just go to waste.

Keep in mind that adding photovoltaics doesn’t make your vessel a solar boat, unless you have a solar-powered motor. You can switch your boat to solar energy fully, especially if it’s small, but you’ll have to calculate your energy needs accordingly.

Once you’ve purchased your panels, you’ll have to install them properly. You can order professional service or do it yourself. The most popular places for solar panels on a boat are a stern rail, masts, deck and canvas. Thin-film panels can even go on the sails. Ideally, you want a place where panels wouldn’t be shaded by masts on any other parts of a boat.

List of solar panels for a sailboat

We’ve asked our engineer to pick the panels that would complement a small boat well. These are his choices:

ZNShine Solar ZXM6-NH120-370/M

Solar panels from ZNShine Solar are inexpensive and fit all kinds of applications, including boat systems. ZXM6-NH120-370/M provides 370 Watts of power with a 19.88% efficiency. It performs well in low-light conditions. Graphene coating increases power generation and allows self-cleaning. The only downside is a lower wind tolerance, compared to other models: it is rated to withstand 2400 Pa pressure which is comparable to 140 mph wind.

Mission Solar MSE345SX5T

MSE 345 is a simple solar panel for all kinds of applications, including boat installations. Mission Solar panels are manufactured in Texas. The module provides 345 Watts of power with 18.7% efficiency. It is certified for high snow (5400 Pa) and wind loads (4000 Pa). The model is resistant to salt mist corrosion.

Suntech STP 365 S

Suntech is a Chinese company that offers quality budget-friendly solar panels. The STP365S model stands out in line because of its great performance in weak light, such as cloudy weather and mornings. It is designed to withstand harsh weather conditions, and the module is certified to tolerate wind of over 170 mph. Half-cut design makes cells sturdier and improves shading tolerance. Overall, this panel earns a place among the best boat solar panels.

Andrey had been a news editor and freelance writer for a number of medias before joining A1SolarStore team. Climate change and its impact on people's lives has always been among his interests and it partially explains his degree in Philosophy and Ethics.

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8 Best Boat Solar Panels in 2024 to Power Your Boat Sustainability

With plenty of sunlight but no access to mains electricity, solar power is made for boating, but this doesn’t mean you can use just any solar panel on your boat.

Green Coast is supported by its readers. We may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you if you buy through a link on this page . Learn more .

Solar power is the perfect solution for meeting your energy needs when you’re out on the water, but you can’t necessarily use the same solar panel you would on your home. Here are our top picks for the best boat solar panels, as well as some info you should know when buying a marine solar panel.

The best marine solar panels for your boat

Thanks to advances in solar technology, there’s now a dizzying array of solar panels available on the market in various forms. However, some are better suited to marine conditions than others: the following products are your best bet to install on your boat.

1. Renogy 400 Watt 12 Volt Solar Premium Kit

For a truly powerful solar system, look to this 400-watt solution from Renogy . This comprehensive kit includes four 100-watt solar panels, a 40-amp MPPT charge controller, module fuse, mounting brackets and an adapter kit.

Combined, the panels output up to a total of 2.5kWh of electricity per day (provided there’s enough sun), to power most boat engines with power to spare for appliances.

The high-quality panels have a bypass diode that bypasses cells that are performing poorly because they’re in the shade, to minimize power drops when the solar panel is in partial shade, and therefore delivering strong performance in a low-light environment.

However, you will need enough space on your boat to accommodate four 40 x 21 inch panels, which will probably only fit on a larger vessel. Online reviewers also complain that the kit doesn’t come with detailed assembly instructions, so you may struggle to put everything together, especially if you’re a beginner.

What we like:

• Powerful: The total system delivers 400 watts of power output, or 2.5kWh of electricity, in optimum conditions.
• Bypass diode: Which maximizes the solar panel’s performance by bypassing cells that are in the shade, allowing the panel to perform well in low light.
• Powerful: This kit will produce a total of 400 watts, so is great for charging larger boat batteries or running a number of appliances onboard.
• Solid and durable: The panels have multi-layered sheet laminations and come in a corrosion-resistant aluminum frame, so will stand up to different conditions without damage, so you can be confident they’ll stay in good condition wherever you take your boat.

What we don’t like:

• Instructions not very extensive: The kit doesn’t come with an extensive manual to help you put everything together, so you might struggle if you’re not particularly handy.

Despite the lack of clear instructions, overall this is a well-made, powerful solar kit. If you need lots of power and have the space for four solar panels, this could be the best choice for you.

2. Newpowa 20W Monocrystalline Sailboat Solar Panel

This panel is a good choice if you have limited space and don’t need too much power for your boat. Each panel has only 20 watts of output, but is very compact: in fact, the new design is highly-efficient, allowing it to be even smaller than previous models, at just 13.6 x 14.2 inches.

With such small dimensions, you may be able to install several panels on an irregular boat roof or in other tricky spots. However, keep in mind that even with a few of these panels, you probably won’t have enough power to run your boat battery.

Newpowa’s 20-watt solar panel is built to last. It comes with a two-year workmanship warranty, and an output warranty that guarantees 90% power for 10 years, and 80% for 25 years.

The panel is slim, but with sturdy aluminum frames around the panel and between each cell, so it’s designed to stand up to harsh conditions, including winds up to 2400Pa and hail and snow loads of 5400Pa. Therefore, you’ll be able to take this panel on your boat through all kinds of weathers without it being damaged.

• Compact: At just 13.6 x 14.2 inches, this small panel will fit in all kinds of tight spots, making it easier to find a mounting location on your boat.
• Good workmanship: The panel is well-made, backed up with a generous warranty, meaning you can feel confident that on the slight chance of any faults or issues, they’ll be resolved by the manufacturer.
• Durable: The Newpowa panel has a sturdy aluminum frames between each cell, and can stand up to high winds, hail, and snow, which is obviously very important for solar panels for boats
• Low power output: This panel has a relatively-low 20-watt power output, which isn’t great because it will only supply enough energy to run one or two appliances part time.

Small, slim and durable, this high-quality solar panel is perfect if you have low power needs on your boat, or as part of a larger solar system.

3. ACOPOWER 35W Polycrystalline Sailboat Solar Panel

Specifically designed for boats, this small polycrystalline solar panel provides 35 watts of power. It’s highly efficient with a conversion rate up to 19.1%, so you’ll get the maximum amount of power output in return for the precious space on your boat.

Suitable for all climates and conditions, the silicon cells have a protective coating and come in a corrosion-resistant aluminum frame. It’s rated for high winds to 2400Pa, snow loads to 5400Pa, temperatures between -40 and 176 degrees F, and up to 100% humidity.

We also love that this panel is easy to install, coming with four pre-drilled holes, junction box and a three-foot solar cable. It’s compatible with a range of mounting systems, including Z-brackets, pole mounts, and tilt mounts, making it easy to place virtually anywhere on your boat, from the roof to the stern.

• Suitable for all weathers: The panel is rated for extreme cold and hot temperatures, as well as high humidity, winds, and snow loads, which is good because boat solar panels may be exposed to all of these conditions.
• Easy to install: It comes with pre-drilled holes for easy installation, as well as being suitable for various mounting systems, so can be mounted in varying locations on your boat’s roof.
• Highly-efficient: This panel has an impressive maximum conversion rate of 19.1% so will perform well in low-light environments, meaning you’ll still have power on overcast days.
• Inconsistent quality control: Some reviewers mention issues with parts and accessories failing or breaking, though many also mention the manufacturer quickly resolved the problem. However, it’s worth remembering the affordable price of this panel – so if the quality issue is a big concern, better to opt for something more premium. 

Some online reviews mention issues with some parts breaking during install. However, with a five-year workshop warranty, a 20-year power output warranty, and lifetime technical support, you can feel confident that, on the slight chance that you do experience any issues, they’ll be resolved easily. 

Despite even this, the Acopower is worth your attention because of its affordable price and easy, out-of-the-box design that’s easy to install right out of the box.

4. Newpowa 160W Monocrystalline Sailboat Solar Panel

For significantly more power, consider this 160-watt panel from Newpowa. The panel does involve a higher investment than small panels, but you’ll be able to charge your boat battery and perhaps even run some appliances with the power this product delivers.

The panel is made of top quality, high-performance polycrystalline cells fitted with an aluminum frame, making it efficient but durable. It uses 9 busbars (9BB) technology which converts light more efficiently while lasting longer.

It’s also easy to install, coming with diodes pre-installed in the junction box, as well as two pre-attached 3-foot MC4 cables, so all you need to do is mount the panel and you’re good to go! The well-made panel comes with a 10-year 90% power output warranty, 25-year 80% output warranty, and two-year limited material and workmanship warranty.

• Highly efficient: This panel’s use of 9BB technology makes it more efficient and longer lasting than many other panels.
• Easy installation: With pre-installed diodes and pre-attached cables, this panel is a piece of cake to install, so it’s a great option for those who aren’t experienced with this type of thing.
• Long life: The panel is made with advanced 9BB technology that is efficient and long-lasting, so you won’t need to replace your panel for years to come.
• Expensive: You’ll pay more for the extra power, so it’s important to be sure that a smaller panel won’t suffice.

This powerful and efficient Newpowa panel is built to last, evidenced by the generous manufacturer’s warranty, making it an excellent boat solar panel.

5. Nature Power 120W Portable Sailboat Solar Panel

This portable solar panel from Nature Power can be set up and used anywhere, so is a great solution if you don’t have space on your boat to install a permanent panel. Equally, this can be a good option if you only want to use it on a boat occasionally, and also use it when camping, trekking, or at home during emergencies.

The compact, foldable panel can be set up anywhere there’s sun, and then easily stored or transported after use. The panel folds out to 67.2 x 24.8 x 3 inches, and then can fold up into the size of a slim suitcase with an easy-carry handle.

Thanks to its high-efficiency, monocrystalline cells, this small panel can produce up to 120 watts and 6.67 amps of output. It also comes with a charge controller to help you efficiently charge your battery, and a built-in diode to avoid discharging.

Although the panel itself is well-made and robust, some online users complain that the clips and stand are less durable, with some reporting breakages.

• Portable: The panel can be folded up and easily transported, thanks to its easy-carry handle. This is great because you can use it on your boat when needed, then for other uses, such as for camping or emergencies.
• Highly efficient: Thanks to its advanced monocrystalline cells, this panel delivers 120 watts despite its small size and slim design.
• No need to install: Simply set up the panel on your deck when you need some power, and then fold it away, so a great option if you don’t want to fuss with installation or don’t have space on your boat to put it up permanently.
• Low-quality accessories: Some online reviews mention the poor quality of the panel’s accessories such as the clips and stand.

Overall, this portable solar panel is a great choice if you’re unable to mount a panel on your boat, or want the freedom to use it in different locations.

6. Nature Power 165W Sailboat Solar Panel

This monocrystalline solar panel is powerful, durable, and efficient . The modular design, robust aluminum frames, and scratch-resistant, anti-reflective coating means the panel will stand up to all weather conditions, making it perfect for your boat.

This panel is sold on its own, but the brand also offers an 8-amp solar charge controller that you can use with any 12-volt battery to build your own boat solar kit. The panel itself comes with a built-in diode, as well as “plug and play” connections that are easy to install.

• Monocrystalline: The monocrystalline cells make this solar panel very efficient, giving you a powerful output of 165 watts with just one panel.
• Robust: The panel is built to withstand all conditions, with a strong aluminum frame and scratch-resistant coating.
• Easy to install: The panel comes with simple, “plug and play” connections, making it a breeze to install, so is perfect for beginners.
• High cost: Because of its premium construction and features, this is not the most affordable solar panel on the market.

This panel is relatively expensive, and there are more affordable options available, but you get a high-quality, well-made panel in return for your investment. Furthermore, it comes with a 25-year power generation warranty, so you can be confident that you’re unlikely to encounter any major issues for years, and if you do, they’ll be resolved.

7. Topsolar 100W 12V Solar Panel Kit

This complete solar kit contains one 100-watt solar panel, intelligent charge controller, v-shaped tilt bracket, as well as two 16-foot and two five-foot cables with MC4 and O-ring terminals, making it easy to install and connect.

This set is designed for off-grid, outdoor use such as on boats, RVs, cabins, and yards, and suitable for charging car and boat batteries. The panel is highly durable, thanks to its corrosion-proof aluminum frame and tempered glass coating, so will cope with whatever conditions you throw at it.

The high-efficiency monocrystalline PV cells deliver 100 watts of power in a relatively compact 46.5 x 21.8 inch panel that’s just 1.37-inch thick. The adjustable mounting bracket can tilt to capture the maximum amount of direct sunlight, helping you get the maximum amount of power for your boat.

• Complete kit: With a 100-watt panel, charge controller, bracket, and cables, you have everything you need to set up and install your marine solar system.
• Tilted mounting bracket: Meaning you can tilt the panel to capture the maximum amount of sunlight.
• Versatile: The kit comes with two 16-foot and an additional two five-foot cables featuring both O-ring and MC4 terminals, meaning you can connect it to different types of equipment and in various locations.
• Problematic controller: Online reviewers complain about performance issues with the charge controller.

The most common complaint about this set is that the controller is low-quality, though the panel itself works very well. However, overall this is a good set for any boat with medium power needs.

8. 200 Watt 12 Volt Monocrystalline Solar Starter Kit w/ MPPT Charge Controller

This kit comes with two 100-watt poly/mono-crystalline solar panels, a 40-amp MPPT charge controller, Z-brackets for mounting the solar panel, an adapter kit, and connector cables. However, it should be noted that the kit lacks a few important accessories, such as fuses, so you’ll need to buy these separately.

Although these two 100-watt solar panel can supply up to 800Wh power output a day if there’s enough sun, they have a small footprint. This makes the kit ideal for boats, as you can install them in small and compact spaces, like the roof of your sailboat.

The solar panels are also highly-efficient, with 22% solar cell efficiency , significantly higher than many comparable products. With a corrosion-resistant aluminum frame, the panels will also stand up to all weathers, including winds of up to 2400Pa and snow loads of 5400Pa.

This means you can be confident they’ll last for decades no matter what kind of conditions your boat faces over the years!

• Maximum power for the footprint: The solar panels are highly-efficient, giving you the maximum amount of energy without taking up too much space.
• Corrosion-resistant frame: The aluminum frame is resistant to corrosion, so will keep its form in salt water and harsh weather.
• Charge controller included: The kit comes with an MPPT charge controller, adaptor, cables, and mounting brackets, so you won’t need to invest in extra equipment and can get started straight away!
• Some accessories not included : Although this is sold as a complete kit, it lacks a few important bits and pieces, so you’ll need to be prepared to avoid disappointment when trying to install your panels.

Overall, this is a good medium-sized kit that delivers a reasonable amount of power with the minimum footprint.

Why buy a boat solar panel?

Most boats require a lot of electricity, from powering navigation lights and radio systems to maintaining autopilot and, most of all, the boat battery. If you use your boat for longer trips, you’ll probably also need electricity for appliances like fridges, heaters, and even a TV.

Traditionally, many boats used gasoline or diesel generators to supply this power, but relying on solar energy instead has a number of advantages. Not only is it more environmentally friendly, but the sun will always shine (even if it’s not full sun), so you’ll have a continuous supply of energy and won’t need to worry about running out of fuel.

Furthermore, unlike noisy, smelly generators, solar systems are quiet, odorless, and don’t create excess heat, so won’t make your boat unpleasantly warm in summer. Once you’ve made the initial investment, solar panels are cheap to run, as you don’t need to pay for fuel – after all, sunshine is free!

What to consider when buying boat solar panels

There are many different types of solar panels, just as boats can come in all shapes and sizes. Therefore, it’s important to consider the various features offered by different panels in order to choose the right model for your boat.

Here are the key things to keep in mind when shopping for boat solar panels.

Panel output and efficiency

The first thing to consider when buying a solar panel for your boat is how much power it will produce, and whether this will be sufficient to meet your needs. You need to consider what you want to use the panel for: for example, do you just want to run a couple of onboard appliances, or are you looking to power your boat’s battery as well?

Once you’ve determined this, calculate how much power you’ll need (more on how to do that below), and this will give you an indication of the power output you should look for when buying your panel.

It’s important to get a robust panel that will stand up to all kinds of weathers and conditions without getting damaged.

The most durable panels come with a sturdy metal frame, often made of aluminum to keep weight to a minimum.

Waterproofing

Obviously, the ability to stand up to water is essential for any marine solar panel. Most good-quality solar panels for any purpose are highly resistant to water, as they’re designed to be placed outdoors in the rain.

Even still, it’s important to check that waterproof level of any solar panel before buying it for your boat. Specifically, look for a panel with a IP67 rating, as this indicates that the panel is highly resistant to water damage.

Weight and flexibility

Another important factor to consider is weight. You usually have two options when installing a solar panel on a boat: on the roof or on the stern, usually supported with some kind of bracket or scaffolding.

As neither boat roofs nor brackets are typically designed to support a lot of weight, it’s important to buy panels that are light. With limited space and low clearance, it can also be a good idea to look for thin panels that are not much more than an inch thick.

As most boats have curved roofs, a flexible solar panel can often be the way to go. These kinds of panels are not rigid, but can bend to fit irregular surfaces.

However, flexible solar panels tend to be less efficient and generally don’t last as long as rigid ones, so you’ll need to weigh up these factors to make the right choice for you.

Ease of installation

When buying a solar panel for any purpose, how easy it is to install is a key consideration, unless you’re planning to hire an expert to handle this for you. This is even more critical when buying a marine solar panel, as installing the equipment is more difficult than ever on a boat that may be moving and swaying with the waves.

Pay attention to how the panel is installed: flexible solar panels can often be simply attached with an adhesive, though you’ll need to make sure the glue is suitable for marine applications. Rigid solar panels can be more difficult to put up, though some come with grommets and pre-drilled holes that make things easier.

Reading user reviews on sites like Amazon will usually give you a pretty good idea of whether the panel is tricky or pretty straightforward to install.

Questions to ask yourself before buying t solar panel for your boat

The right solar panel for you will depend on a range of factors, from the size of your boat to your power needs. Understanding these key factors will help you to make the right decision and buy the perfect marine solar panel for you.

What size solar panel do you need?

You’ll need to work out how much energy you need to determine the right size solar panel to buy. You can calculate this by adding up the typical amp hours and volts used by all of the appliances on your boat – the average amp hours are usually printed on the label or elsewhere on the appliance.

For a more accurate measurement, use a battery monitor to get a reading of the amp hours your boat uses. Monitor your usage over several days while you’re on the boat (the more the better) and divide the total figure by the number of days to get your average amp hour usage per day.

How big is your boat’s battery?

You’ll also have to consider the size of your boat’s battery. Other than the power you use in the hours of peak sunlight in the middle of the day, you’ll only be able use as much energy as you can store.

Also keep in mind whether you want to be able to charge your boat’s battery with solar or run your boat on gas and use the solar panel for appliances only.

Most boats have a 12-volt battery, which needs around 350 watts of power to charge. However, larger vessels can have a larger battery, which means you’ll need more panels.

Do you have enough space for a solar panel?

Once you’ve determined the ideal solar panel size for your boat and your needs, you also need to work out how much space you have to accommodate the panel. Assess your boat for suitable locations, keeping in mind that you need to install your panels somewhere that gets plenty of sun.

You can either mount your boat solar panel on the roof or on the stern, using a bracket or similar.

If you want to mount the panel on the roof, you don’t necessarily need a completely flat spot: flexible solar panels can be installed on curved surfaces, with the added bonus that they’re lightweight so can be put on boat roofs that can support too much weight. Likewise, high-efficiency panels that offer the same amount of energy with a smaller footprint, like the ACOPOWER 35W Polycrystalline Sailboat Solar Panel can be a good solution for smaller boat roofs.

If your boat really doesn’t have any suitable spots to mount a solar panel, a backup solution would be to use portable solar panels that you could set up on your deck or a similar space.

Do you need a charge controller?

When setting up a solar system for your boat, you also need to decide whether you want to include a charge controller . Some of the kits above come with a solar charge controller included, like the Topsolar 100W 12V Solar Panel Kit , but you can also buy solar panels on their own.

Charge controllers regulate the amount of energy that flows from the solar panel to the battery, helping to ensure that it doesn’t get overcharged or overloaded. This is important, because either of these things can damage the battery and shorten its life.

For this reason, although a solar charge controller is not strictly necessary when installing solar panels on your boat, it can be a very good idea in order to protect your battery and make sure your boat uses the right amount of energy for its needs.

Wrapping up

A boat solar panel is the ultimate solution for self-sufficiency, allowing you to run your boat on the energy of the sun. You won’t need to worry about running out of fuel, and having to go back to shore.

Not to mention that by using this clean, renewable energy will help you to reduce your carbon footprint and be kinder to the environment.

If you’ve found this guide to the best solar panels helpful, you’re sure to enjoy our posts on the best portable solar panels for camping , flexible solar panels and solar power output .

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Practical Boat Owner

• Digital edition

Boat solar panels: Everything you need to know to get started

• David Berry
• October 13, 2021

Want to add some boat solar panels, or wonder how to make the most of those you already have? David Berry has some advice...

While it seems like a good idea to mount a panel on the coachroof the chances of it becoming shaded are increased. Here the mast or rigging can easily throw a shadow over at least part of the panel, seriously reducing its output. Photo: Catchlight Visual Services/Alamy

Keeping batteries topped up without resorting to running the engine is an ongoing problem for yachtsmen. Boat solar panels are an obvious option, not just in the Med but also around the coasts of the UK as the price of panels has fallen over the years.

But choosing them can seem a bit of a black art: after all, how can you possibly predict how much sun you’re going to get during the season, or how much power your panel will produce if it’s not exactly aligned with the sun? But provided you accept a statistical approach using established databases, then prediction is easier than you think.

Ultimately the only thing we need to know is the conversion efficiency, or, how much sun turns into electrical power. NASA do a trick: they use multi-layer panels where each layer responds to a different wavelength so the usual 20% or so is doubled.

Article continues below…

Battery maintenance for boat owners: How to look after your boat batteries

For all but the smallest and simplest of craft a reliable supply of battery power is essential to keep both…

What is insolation? How much power is reaching my boat’s solar panels?

The sun is 93 million miles away, give or take. Packets of energy called photons leave it and travel at…

And there is a new material called Perovskite which is also used to provide an overlay on the standard silicone panel and the tandem panel is claimed to convert up to 28% of the sun’s energy into electricity.

Don’t rush though, when I looked on Amazon for one I discovered even the books describing it cost around £100! The panels themselves seem to be still in development.

How much energy does my boat need?

The first step is to work out your boat’s energy requirements. All you have to do is add up all the energy in watt-hours used by each device on your boat, such as the fridge, lights, computers and so on.

Energy is power accrued over time, so if power is measured in watts, energy is watt-hours. This can be tricky, for example how long is your fridge running for? And how about overnight? How much energy do the instruments take? Or your computer?

You can measure the power by measuring the Amps and Volts and multiplying them together to get Watts, but somehow you need to come up with a table similar to the one below. Once you have your energy requirements worked out, I suggest you add a goodly margin for expansion and errors – at least 10%.

Energy requirement for Aderyn Glas over the course of a day. ‘Current’ is Amps. ‘Duty’ is the portion of the day the (12V) appliance is powered up. eg Fridge 4A x 12V x 12hr = 576Wh

Next, you need to decide how much of this requirement should be met by the boat solar panels. We sail our Moody 33 Aderyn Glas throughout the summer season from our base in Preveza, Greece, so our requirements are essentially those of liveaboard sailors.

We want the panels to be able to supply most of our power needs and allow us not to have to ruin the peace of a quiet anchorage by running the engine simply for charging.

Weekend sailors might be content with a small panel to recharge – over the course of a week – the energy used during a weekend’s sailing. Getting the balance right is important, especially if you want to install enough boat solar panels to more or less cover your power requirements.

David Berry’s Moody Eclipse Aderyn Glas has boat solar panels mounted on a stern gantry where shadows are greatly reduced

But will you get the quoted wattage from your panel? If the panel is a 100W panel, will you get 100W? Panels are rated as the electrical power produced under certain strict test conditions, and these are solar irradiation (called insolation) of 1,000W/m2 at 25°C and an atmosphere of a particular clarity. Do we ever get these conditions in practice? Well, yes, we do, but life is never that simple – in this article I explain about how to assess the real insolation over the course of a day in your chosen location.

Types of boat solar panel

Leaving aside the exotic new Perovskite panels, there are three types that you might consider – a choice that hasn’t changed in years.

There are amorphous panels (good in shady conditions but large for any given wattage), printed panels (manufactured with an inkjet printer but really low conversion efficiency) and crystalline panels either poly- or mono-crystalline.

The smaller amorphous panel is 15W and the larger crystalline panel is 100W. So the larger panel is approximately twice the area, but seven times the power

What type of boat solar panels should I fit?

This question is a bit of a red herring – in reality, the question should be ‘How much space do I have?’

The academic drive is to make panels that are more environmentally friendly, both to make and dispose of, and to reduce the cost per watt.

But ironically this has resulted in a much poorer conversion efficiency generation by generation, which is not helpful to sailors with a small area available to mount the panels.

These panels are printed on a continuous inkjet printer with the idea that they can effectively be an endless strip. The problem with that, though, is the current can build up and eventually burn out the connecting cables. Furthermore, they are no good for yachts because the conversion efficiency is so low so you’d need a battleship in order to have enough space!

So, back to the first generation: crystalline panels come in mono- or polycrystalline species, but they only differ slightly in cost per watt and efficiency.

Added to the mix is the flexibility aspect: flexible panels require a bit of clever manufacture, and this is passed on in higher prices.

Many sailors think flexible panels are a solution because they can be mounted on the deck or coachroof or even the bimini but I’ve not considered them because all those places seem to suffer from shading, more of which later.

A hypothetical energy balance. The red line is the clear-sky power that the panel could provide during daylight. The blue line is the power your boat requires. Light blue is surplus energy, where the panel is outputting more than the load, and dark blue is where the load is greater than the panel can deliver. When night falls, the boat’s energy needs have to be met by the battery. In daylight, the battery becomes a load for the panels as it is charged. The green line is a notional illustration of the state of the battery; it winds downwards when there’s a shortfall and upwards when there’s a surplus available for charging. In winter, the load profile will be different and the captured power will be lower.

So does this mean the default starting point for any installation is a rigid, crystalline panel? In short: yes!

Where should I install my boat solar panels?

If you’re just fitting a small panel to top-up batteries on a mooring, buy a cheap rigid panel and find places on your boat where you can tilt it to catch the sun’s rays for the majority of the day.

We do this during the winter in Greece, where we strap on 20W or so of car battery top-up panels, and it works well for us. Choose a spot that isn’t shaded for the majority of the day and this technique should serve you well.

Do the sums. I have heard of people whose batteries have been damaged by a constant high power being applied to an already charged battery, even through a regulator. My rule of thumb for trickle-charging is a panel wattage about 10% of the battery’s stated amp-hours, but that’s a guess.

Aderyn Glas is fitted with two monocrystalline panels which are rated at 100W apiece – they take the same space previously occupied by amorphous panels which could only muster 75W between them

If you spend more time on board and need to get the best from your panels, mono- or polycrystalline panels will give more power from the same space. We replaced our 75W bank of amorphous panels with 200W of monocrystalline panels in the same area.

But with the higher efficiency comes higher sensitivity to poor mounting conditions, so if you want the best from your panels you need to do your utmost to ensure they’re not shaded, and also that they are tilted as close to a right-angle to the sun as possible. This is why liveaboards often mount theirs on adjustable gantries at the stern or on the pushpit.

Intrinsic losses

Let me just revisit this: the relationship between the nominal power of a boat solar panel and what you really get. When the manufacturer quotes, for example, 100W for a panel, that is the expected output under test conditions.

Choose your site carefully – this coachroof panel will be shaded by the boom, reducing its output by a considerable margin

The test conditions are an insolation of 1,000W/m2 at 25°C. So a typical panel of half a square metre will receive 500W of insolation, then we multiply by the efficiency of 22% or 0.22 and you get roughly 100W. So if you get a sunny day that insolates your 100W panel at 1kW/m2 then you have the potential to get 100W output for a short time around solar noon.

But the energy over 24 hours will be below this owing to the declination of the sun over the course of the day. This can be partly remedied with a tracking panel, but as the sun declines the light has to pass at a more oblique angle through the atmosphere, hence losing power.

The insolation will also be affected by your latitude, and by any form of shading or scattering from atmospheric dust, haze or cloud. Another important intrinsic loss is that heat reduces a panel’s output by about 5% for every 10°C rise in temperature greater than 25°C. For this reason, it’s quite possible to get a higher output from a boat solar panel in cooler northern latitudes than on the Equator!

This is the comparison between an MPPT controller and a PWM type over a 30 minute periodSo you see what I mean when I say the question is all about how much space you have: the default option should be a crystalline panel because it has the best watt per unit area coupled with price per watt, and we only need to deviate from this simple first-generation solution if other factors are important.

Cost and efficiency

Since we’re only talking about crystalline panels the efficiency is always going to be around 20% and the cost less than £1/Watt.

There are a large number of suppliers out there now but I should stick to the well known names such as Kodak, Polaroid, LG, Panasonic and Victron.

For suppliers I would look at Amazon (of course) or, in the UK, Midsummer Energy which stocks not just panels but all the cables and bits you will need to fit them.

Victron MPPT controller

Other boat solar panel system losses

Losses in cables are proportional to the square of the current. The equation is P=(i x 2) x R where ‘i’ is the current in amps, R is the resistance in ohms and P is the power lost in watts. The voltage gradient from the high voltage at the panels to the lower one at the regulator is fixed by the cable resistance and current (Ohm’s law), which is in turn set by how sunny it is and the power required.

But the resistance is a matter of design. To minimise cable losses and prevent potential cable overheating, large-core cables are needed. Resistance is also proportional to the length of the cable, so long cables need to be even fatter than short ones. I tend to use car speaker cable which is fat and can insulate the 12V we need.

Of all the possible ways to lose power from a panel, this is the most significant. On a crystalline panel, even the stripe of a rope’s shadow can wipe out a huge amount of the potential output power. Why is this? The individual cells in a crystalline panel are wired in such a way that a cell which is in shadow and not producing will act as a sink for the power produced by the other cells it’s wired to, with the result that virtually no power escapes from the panels as a whole.

You must have a regulator. The job of the regulator is to throw power away. It does this to ensure the power passing on to the batteries or services is not too great for them to handle. Normally it does this by controlling the amount of power passing through it and hold the output voltage at some predetermined value such as the float charge voltage of 13.4V.

The value of the power it passes depends on the current required by the load: the sum of batteries, lights, fridge and so on that are sucking the current from the panels. If the fridge is on, for example, more power will flow through the regulator and it will throw less power away as heat.

Most common, older regulators use a pulse width modulation (PWM) system which is more efficient than simply controlling the output voltage. Maximum power point tracking (MPPT) devices provide more usable power by seeking the panel’s optimum power voltage although they are expensive.

Chief among the suppliers is Victron (avoid the so-called MPPT types from ebay, they are almost certainly not MPPT controllers). And if you have the room it might be better to spend the money on a larger boat solar panel than on an MPPT controller. This is what we’ve done on our canal boat, settling for a PWM type.

To the boat solar panel, the regulator is part of the load – a consumer of power – which is why the entry to the regulator is an appropriate place to measure the voltage and current if you want to see exactly how much is being generated by the panels.

What power do I really get from boat solar panels?

If you do the sums, the unavoidable losses on a new panel operating at 65°C (measured in full summer sunlight in Greece) are going to be in excess of 20% from the temperature increase alone. Our example 100W panel is therefore only putting out 80W, and that’s only for a few hours.

If you really need every scrap of power then you need to find a way to keep the panel cool, and you need to invest in an MPPT regulator. As the panel gets older its performance will drop off even more. All a bit depressing, isn’t it?

I have to say, though, that in our particular installation on Aderyn Glas we regularly get more than 10A from our 200W panels, and our highest recorded value was 170W, which suggests that these loss figures are conservative.

In reality, with a well set-up installation you can expect to get a maximum of 75% of the power you would expect from a continuously insolated panel operating at its rated power.

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9 Best Marine Solar Panels for Boats – (Reviews & Guide 2021)

Producing green energy doesn’t have to be something we do on the land-only. One of the most essential parts of your watercraft is the best marine solar panels. With it, you get to power your appliances on board and maybe even get hot water. The best part is that the environment isn’t harmed by this energy production.

But choosing the right solar panel for your watercraft can be very difficult because there are so many questions about the purchase.

What actually is a marine solar panel? Is it necessary to have one? How to choose the most appropriate unit? Is the installation hard? Can you take proper care of the panel?

The answers to all these questions are simple, and here we are going to discuss everything you need to know – some vital information, tips, and even marine solar panels reviews – so you can make the right decision for your boat.

Best Marine Solar Panels Comparison Chart

Best marine solar panels reviews (editor’s picks).

These are some of the most popular products, you may find on the market. Each one of the products has some advantages, but also some disadvantages. Our team has collected these products and their features, so you can take your decisions, which you want to buy. Keep in mind, that they are not arranged in a specific way.

1. Renogy Monocrystalline Solar Starter

The package includes mounting brackets, adaptor kits, cables and of course the solar panel. The dimensions are 47×1.5×20.9,” and the shipping weight is 25.9 pounds.

Like every other product, this one has pros and cons. Let’s take a quick look at them.

• Good quality
• Good wattage
• It can be used to power more things at ones.
• Super durable – the quality of the material is high-class, and the panels cannot be damaged easily.
• The quality of the charge controller can be better.
• Low-grade cables

2. Battery Tender Solar Maintainer with Built-in Super Smart Charging Controller

Of course, the solar panel has some advantages and disadvantages. You need to know all of them, so here is a shortlist.

• The temperature sensor is built-in.
• Good quality of materials. The panel works well for a long time.
• Easy installation and maintenance.
• When it is turned off, the battery drains fast.
• When part of the panel is in shadows, it does not work fine.
• A short life of the battery.

3. HQST Monocrystalline Solar Panel for Boat (Compact Design)

Here we are going to face you with some benefits and drawbacks of this solar panel.

• Even in a shaded area, the panels produce enough power.
• Excellent performance of the system.
• The panel handles the winds very well.
• Complicated installation
• Cables are not included.

4. ECO-WORTHY Solar Panel for Boat with Alligator Clip Adapter

Pre-drilled holes on the backside of the panel allow quick mounting and securing. It also has a blocking diode, used to prevent discharge. The panel can charge 12V batteries, and the maintenance is almost none. The size is essential – it is not small and not significant at the same time – 8.7×13.9″.

• Easy to install
• Easy to maintain
• Very light, it weighs only 1.50 pounds
• Controller and cables not included.
• The voltage is low, and the panel could not be used for charging big things.

5. WindyNation Solar Panel Kit

The LCD Screen shows you essential information like amperage, voltage, etc. This one is very suitable with bigger boats, its dimensions are 40×1.4×26.4″ – so it is big enough and you must have enough space for it. The shipping weight is 10.86 pounds.

• High voltage
• Instruction for installation
• Excellent performance of the controller and battery.
• Hard installation.
• No fuses included.
• Bad quality of cables.

6. ACOPOWER Mono Solar Panel for 12V Battery Charging

Except for its usage on your boat, after the sailing season, you can also use it for a caravan, RVs, cars, boats, a greenhouse. Other ways of usage are such as a set of a solar system, solar light, solar pump, etc. The aluminum frame and anti-reflection glass give the solar system a longer life. This item also has a waterproof display. It is medium size – only 11.5×11.5×0.9″ – and the shipping weight is 6.5 pounds.

One quick look at the benefits and drawbacks of using this particular item:

• Straightforward installation
• Resists on bad weather
• Excellent quality of the battery and the controller
• If part of the panels is in shadow, the performance is bad
• Cables are not long enough

7. Renogy Extremely Flexible Monocrystalline Solar Panel

This product is excellent, but it has not only many advantages, but also some disadvantages. Let’s take a quick look at them:

• Very flexible
• Very light and easy to transport
• Very easy to install
• Excellent performance on overcast days.
• Grommets are not included.
• If there are some clouds, the performance is terrible.
• Cables are not included too.

8. Newpowa Poly Solar Panel Module

The product may have high performance, and everything sounds great, but it also has some drawbacks. So here you can check some of them.

• It is very light
• Easy installation
• The product has a warranty
• Cables and controller not included.
• It doesn’t have top performance in winter and in adverse weather conditions.

9. Richsolar Black Off-Grid Portable Monocrystalline Solar Panel

As you already read, this particular product has some advantages, but also some disadvantages.

• Excellent performance in shadow and lousy weather
• Solid electrical output
• Not so portable

What Are Marine Solar Panels?

One of the main problems of people who live on boats except finding excellent boat equipment is the extraction and consumption of electricity and fresh water. 99% of the cruise ships nowadays have solar panels and wind generators, but in 99% of cases, they are not enough to cover their electricity consumption and have to burn the motors or generators if not every day, then every day.

In other words, the marine solar panel is just a solar panel that collects energy from the sun and uses it to power the boat in many ways. The most popular use of this type and the Sunpower marine solar panels is to recharge the batteries in the boat, but it can be used to power the electrical system of the sailboat.

Types Of Panels

Flexible Marine Solar Panels

Extremely comfortable, they are designed to be curved or bent, so they can fit any surface and most importantly your specific needs. They are perfect for small boats, where you have cramped space. This type of panels is easy to install because it is light and does not have the metal back. If you choose this type pick one of the best flexible solar panels for your needs, don’t buy a cheap product, that provides poor quality.

Standard Marine Solar Panels

They have an aluminum back, just like the other solar panels. They handle the rain and other adverse weather conditions perfectly. But they are also cumbersome and not flexible at all, so these panels are recommended if you have more space on your boat.

All marine solar panels can be divided into four other categories, according to the type of technology used.

Monocrystalline

Have the highest efficiency in direct sunshine, but also produce the most complicated process of silicon monocrystals. The oldest one. A group of a single cell is collected together and formed a single solar panel. The panel is small, uses less space.

Multicrystalline

Their efficiency is 1-2% lower than that of Monocrystalline panels, their production costs are also slightly smaller because not so pure silicon is used as in Monocrystalline. Made from single wafer slices of silicon crystals. It has a lower efficiency than the previous type but is cheaper.

This production process is, and therefore these are the cheapest solar panels. On the other hand, they have almost twice the efficiency of the crystalline panels. Just put – for the same installed power you will need twice as many panels. Less efficient than the Multicrystalline and the Monocrystalline, that is why the panels are more significant, can handle the hot and sunny day better than other types. This one has ‘shadow protection’ and can produce energy, while part of the cells is in shadow.

Amorphous Silicon

The cheapest type. It is made of crystal silicon material on a glass, steel or plastic sheet. It is almost the same as the Thin Film, has the same protections, but is cheaper to produce.

Benefits Of Using Marine Solar Panels

• If the panels are attached to the electrical system of the boat, it will save you a lot of fuel. And since we mentioned fuel, the portable marine fuel tanks for small boats are handy, and they are an essential part of your sailing boat set. Without electricity and fuel, what are you going to do in the water?
• They are environmental-friendly. The panels use renewable energy, which is very important, because we all live on the same planet, and yes! We care for the Earth.
• It is very easy to maintaining and can save you in dangerous situations, if the engine break-down and leaves you with no power, the solar panel can save you.
• Panels will save you time and energy.
• You can use them to power small things on board.

Like everything else, marine solar panels have some disadvantages, and here you can take a look at them.

• Solar panels take up space. Sometimes you do not have enough space on your boat, and solar panels are not a good idea.
• Energy storage is expensive.
• Sunlight availability. If there is no sun, there is no energy too.
• The whole solar panel system is expensive.

When you decide to buy something, it is essential to look for particular functions. Our team has done some research, and here we have collected the most critical information.

• Size – The size matters. Check the dimensions of the panel carefully – if it will fit your boat and your needs.
• Wattage – Check how much energy you need. When you have the idea of how much power you need, check the wattage of the solar system.
• Batteries and storage – Some types of solar panels can store energy. This is a perfect feature for rainy days.

Installation

Installation of the marine solar panel , just as the installation of the outboard motor can be hard. Our most important tip is to check the manual of the manufacturer. But here are some more tips for easier installation.

• All parts of the solar systems must be waterproof.
• Choose the right place on the boat to install the panel.
• Be careful with the wires. The boat’s configuration will define where the cables will go.
• Check the type of the panel – with zips, with Velcro, with glue or with frame.
• Always follow the instruction for installation.

Maintenance

A new technology to fix this is the self-cleaning nano-hydrophobic material that covers the panel and maintains its high efficiency over long periods. The cover the panel is sturdy as it actually involves covalent bonding which goes to the top side of the panel that faces the Sun. This is an excellent advantage over-spraying coatings, whose characteristics worsen over time.

The principle of this coating creates a barrier that stops water from penetrating the body of the panel or to even stick to the surface. This explains also why all panels are tilted. It’s so that water can drip down freely without staying on the surface of the unit.

This means that when the treated surface is tilted, the water spheres are rolled out of the surface. Taking care of all your stuff is essential. Your marine solar panel is not an exception.  Now we can discuss how to maintain it.

• Check the manual for instruction.
• Use some warm water and mild detergent.
• Microfiber rug will help you to remove dust.
• Always make sure that the system is completely dry.
• Always check if the wires are dry.
• Check all electrical parts to be sure everything is okay.

Safety Tips

In the final, our team has prepared some tips for your safety. Do not forget that security is paramount.

• Do not forget to check the system frequently.
• If you have some doubts, call a technician. They will help you.
• All wires must be dry.
• If not install correctly, the system will not work right.
• Not cleaning the panels will cause a lack of sunlight and energy.
• If you do not choose the right place for the panels, the boat can lose its balance.

Well done, you guys, you have successfully finished our buying guide on finding the best marine solar panels . Having read our reviews on the classiest marine solar panels and our additional information and tips, you now realize that finding a reliable product can be a bit hard. It is necessary to have the right pump for your boat, do not forget the maintenance and always follow the manual and the safety tips, so you can enjoy your boat and your trip in the water.

If you find our guide useful, forward it to your sailing-loving friends. Also, do not hesitate to contact us – your opinion is important! Comment, sent us an email – tell us what you think!

We hope that you find this text interesting. Find some more free time and check our articles – you can find information about all the marine supplies you need.

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• Solar panels for boats: What..

Solar panels for boats: What you need to know

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Owning a boat can be expensive; you have to pay an upfront cost to purchase it, and you'll also have to spend money on maintenance and fuel charges. Solar panels may be the answer if you're looking for a reliable, cost-effective way to power your boat.

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How do solar panels work on boats?

Solar energy systems on boats work similarly to other portable , off-grid systems. There are four important components to a marine solar panel system:

Solar panels

Charge controller

Most marine solar panel systems require charge controllers to prevent the batteries from receiving more voltage than they can handle. Without charge controllers, you risk overcharging and damaging your battery.

Depending on your boat's electrical setup and the appliances you need to power, you may also need an inverter to convert direct current (DC) electricity into alternating current (AC) electricity. Some boat electronics use DC and don't need an inverter. However, if you use everyday household appliances on your boat (i.e., TVs, microwaves, or hairdryers), they likely run on AC electricity, and you'll need an inverter.

You can buy all of these components separately, but you can find solar panel kits that include some or all of the necessary parts. Some marine solar panel kits include the wires, cables, and mounting equipment required to get your boat's solar panel system up and running.

Best solar panel kits for boats

Below are a few products tailored to off-grid marine solar power systems.

Boat solar panel options

If your solar panel kit does not include an inverter or charge controller, you must buy those components separately. Battery storage products occasionally have built-in inverters and/or charge controllers.

Should you install solar panels on your boat?

There are numerous benefits to powering your boat with solar energy. One of the most attractive benefits of marine solar power systems is the monetary savings. You'll need to invest money upfront to purchase solar equipment; however, once it's up and running, you'll generate free electricity for your boat. Alternatives to electrifying your boat, like gasoline-powered generators, require purchasing fuel on an ongoing basis. Switching to solar power can reduce these purchases while protecting you against rising fuel costs.

Another benefit of marine solar panel systems is the quietness of operation. Running a generator can be a noisy disturbance for those going out on the open water to experience nature. Powering your boat with solar allows you to enjoy peace and quiet without losing power.

Furthermore, you can also safely generate electricity and charge your battery with solar power while you're away from your boat. This isn't feasible with generators - running a generator requires manual operation and monitoring. With solar panels, you can produce usable electricity during the day and then use it for weekend boating adventures.

However, there can be obstacles to installing solar on a boat, perhaps the largest of which is available space. Ideally, your solar panels can be installed in an area with uninterrupted sunshine. Depending on your boat type, this space may be easy or difficult to come by. While you likely get a lot of sun out on the water, the area may be too small or have too many obstacles that make fitting the number of solar panels necessary to generate your electricity needs difficult.

Consider your boat's deck or canvas when you're looking for spots to install a marine solar panel system. Remember that the positioning of your solar panels will also impact the type of equipment you should purchase – you may be able to use traditional monocrystalline and polycrystalline solar panels if you're installing on a fixed, rigid section of your boat. However, if your only open space available isn't suitable for fixed mounting, installing lower-efficiency flexible solar panels may be a better option. Some flexible solar options have an adhesive backing, so you won't need to worry about the constraints of traditional mounting and racking materials.

How many solar panels do you need for your boat?

Unsurprisingly, a yacht has very different power requirements than a sailboat. The number of solar panels you'll need for your boat not only depends on the type and size of your boat, but also the quality of the equipment you choose, how many sun-hours the boat sees, and the amount of electricity you require. Some boats can get by with one 100-watt solar panel (or even smaller), while others need a multi-panel setup.

Calculating your electricity load is the first step in determining how many solar panels you need. Below are some common appliances you may use on your boat and what they draw for power.

How many solar panels do you need for common appliances?

The last column of the above table is the amount of energy you'll consume in watt-hours running each appliance for the number of hours identified in column three. One 100-watt solar panel that receives direct sunlight for 5 hours will produce approximately 500 Wh of electricity (5 hours x 100 W = 500 Wh). Not considering conversion losses, that's enough electricity to power a mini-fridge for 24 hours or power a boat's GPS display for 10 hours. Running all of the appliances above for everyday use will require multiple 100-watt solar panels or fewer higher-wattage panels.

Install solar to save on electric bills

You can save money by installing a marine solar panel system, but you'll save even more by installing solar on your home or business. If you want to evaluate your solar options, check out the EnergySage Solar Marketplace . You can receive up to seven custom solar quotes from local installers to compare. You can also try our solar calculator for a quick estimate of solar costs and savings on your property.

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Choosing the Best Marine Solar Panels for Your Boat

There’s nothing like kicking back and relaxing in a boat all to yourself. But while sailing the waves and soaking in the sun is an awesome getaway, you’ll still need to think about how to generate electricity while on board, especially for running your boat battery.

Get free power through solar energy with the best marine solar panels. Not only are they easy to set up and use, but you also save money by relying on renewable energy instead of paying expensive electricity bills like usual.

But how do you look for the most suitable solar panels for boats if there are dozens of solar panel types out there? Well, you’ve come to the right marine solar panels review. There are three key things you need to keep your eyes out for when choosing marine solar panel kits for your beloved boat.

• Waterproof: Since you’ll be traveling across bodies of water, you have to anticipate that your solar panels could get wet. Make sure your solar panels are resilient against water damage through waterproof designs.
• Flexible: Boats have curved surfaces, unlike roofs that are flat and can do with rigid panels. Marine solar panels can be straight and conventional, but it would be a big help if they were flexible so that you can mount them on tricky surfaces on your boat. Flexible solar panels hug irregular surfaces, ensuring they don’t topple over as your boat moves.
• Thin: Boats are small spaces as it is. You don’t need bulky, rigid panels occupying more space than necessary. Go for ones that are about an inch or so thick. Thinner solar panels are sleek and don’t take up too much space, so they’re a must for marine solar solutions.

There are many other factors you need to consider when looking through boat solar panels for sale. Check out the rest of the important factors in our buying guide below.

Need more help picking out a good boat solar panel kit? Look through this rundown of solar panels for boats reviews to see some of the most popular options.

Best Overall

Renogy Monocrystalline Solar Panel

Premium Choice

Topsolar Solar Panel

Editor’s Pick

ECO-WORTHY Solar Panel

Table of Contents

1. Renogy 100W 12V Monocrystalline Solar Panel

2. topsolar 20-watt monocrystalline solar panel, 3. eco-worthy 25w off-grid solar panel, 4. renogy extremely flexible solar panel, 5. suner power 30w polycrystalline solar panel, 6. newpowa monocrystalline 100-watt solar panel, 7. rich solar polycrystalline solar panel, 8. topsolar 100-watt 12-volt solar panel kit, 9. newpowa monocrystalline 30-watt solar panel, what to look for when looking through marine solar panel options, how many solar panels do i need to run a boat, how many amps does a marine refrigerator use, how do you install solar panels on a boat, top-rated marine solar panel reviews.

• Material: Monocrystalline
• Wattage: 100W
• Voltage: 12V

This solar panel kit by Renogy is awesome because it’s an all-in-one solar system. It includes all the necessary cables and accessories to get the show on the road.

The convenient kit includes a 100-watt solar panel, the Wanderer 30A PWM controller, and connectors and adapters. It even has Z brackets for mounting your solar panel. I like that I didn’t have to purchase all these separately.

I like that the Wanderer charge controller is negative ground, which means it prevents any overcharging and short-circuiting issues with our batteries.

Now, for the solar panel itself, I appreciated how the frame was made of sturdy, high-quality, corrosion-resistant aluminum, making the panel extra durable.

Its monocrystalline solar cells can convert 21% of the solar power to free energy you can use on your boat. That’s pretty high compared to other solar panels.

Plus, the production power of this solar panel kit is quiet, so it won’t bother you when you need silence.

• Includes the necessary connectors, controller, and mounting brackets
• The negative ground controller stops overcharging and short circuits
• The solar panel has a durable, corrosion-resistant aluminum frame
• Monocrystalline cells convert 21% of solar power into free energy for you
• Power production is quiet, so it will never disturb users
• The charge controller has no LCD screen
• Wattage: 20W

This Topsolar solar panel kit is another one that offers a lot of accessories. It comes with a charge controller, some alligator clips to hold your cables and connectors properly, and even an O-ring terminal.

The solar panel itself is made of thick, high-class tempered glass to protect the cells inside. It’s framed with aluminum for extra sturdiness as well. I love that it’s made of such premium materials, so I never have to worry about it being too flimsy or break apart easily.

All in all, the solar panel weighs a mere 4.8 lbs, making it easy to carry around. It’s lightweight enough for effortless lifting and transporting when I’m about to install it or move it to another area.

This marine solar panel is resistant to harsh weather, thanks to its maximum static load of 2,400 Pa. Because of this, you can use it worry-free, even in inclement climates.

There are pre-drilled holes at the back of the panel to make it easier to set up with screws and grommets.

• Comes with a charge controller, alligator clips, and O-ring terminal
• The panel is made of tempered glass and an aluminum framing
• Weighs only 4.8 lbs, so it’s easy to lift and carry around
• Resistant to harsh weather like wind or snow
• Has pre-drilled holes at the back to make set-up easier
• Doesn’t include mounting brackets
• Material: Polycrystalline
• Wattage: 25W

A long lifespan is one of the top factors I consider when looking for a marine solar panel. This one by ECO-WORTHY ticks off that box because it is built to last.

It’s made with highly efficient cells to give me adequate power output. The framing is designed with aluminum to make it sturdy, increasing its longevity.

This off-grid solar panel kit comes with a convenient charge controller. Its interface may not have a modern display screen, but it does have light indicators that update in real-time so you can tell how far your charge is coming along. It also has a USB port to let you charge your phones and other small devices.

The solar panel set comes with SAE connector cables to help users set up. They’re quite long and stretch to 9.84 feet, giving us maximum flexibility for moving our panel and charge controller around.

ECO-WORTHY offers a one-year warranty for this kit. You’ll also have access to the brand’s 24/7 hotline in case you have questions or concerns with your solar panel.

• Made with high-efficiency solar cells and aluminum for longevity
• Charge controller has power indicators that update in real-time
• There’s a USB port on the charge controller for small devices
• The SAE connector cables are quite long at 9.84 feet
• A one-year warranty with 24/7 technical support from ECO-WORTHY
• One 25W solar panel might not be enough to power multiple appliances

Setting up solar panels on curved surfaces is tough, but with these Renogy flexible solar panels for boats, it’s never a challenge.

These flexible solar panels bend to a 248-degree arc, which is a lot more flexible than other bendable panels. This is excellent for boat and yacht decks that are curved.

The panels are made of monocrystalline cells that emit 100 watts, ensuring a strong and reliable power supply for our consumption.

Transporting and setting up these flexible solar panels is a walk in the park, thanks to its lightweight and super thin design. They’re never bulky and retain the smooth silhouette of your boat.

They’re thin and light because they’re designed with advanced polymer, which is 70% lighter than other materials traditionally used to build solar panels.

These flexible panels are made to withstand bad weather. They resist impact and don’t get damaged in heavy loads of rain. You’ll find that they even tolerate up to 5,400Pa of snow.

• Bends to a 248-degree arc to fit irregular and curved surfaces and decks
• Monocrystalline panels emit a consistent 100 watts
• Super lightweight and ultra-thin, making it a breeze to transport
• Made with advanced polymer that is 70% lighter than traditional materials
• Resists impact and damage from heavy loads of rain and snow
• The cables in the solar panel kit aren’t the same length

These solar panels by SUNER POWER are built with high-efficiency polycrystalline cells, giving me great performance even with the small energy output. They emit up to 30 watts of power to use as free energy on the boat.

This kit charges our batteries safely. It goes through a strict three-step intelligent algorithm to make sure our battery doesn’t go through overheating and short-circuiting, so I know I’m extra safe.

You’ll also find bright LED lights on the charge controller that indicate how the charge is coming for easy monitoring. It’s a convenient way to make sure our charging is right on track even when we’re doing other errands on the boat.

Tough weather conditions are nothing when it comes to this marine solar panel. It’s built with IP65 waterproof technology, so I don’t have to worry about the climate damaging my solar panel kit. It can even resist erosion, rusting, and damage from the sun’s UV rays.

• Polycrystalline cells emit 30 watts of power to use as free energy
• Charges our battery safely with an intelligent three-step algorithm
• Has bright LED light indicators so you can see how your charging is going
• Withstands tough weather because of IP65 waterproof technology
• Resists erosion, rusting, and UV damage in finicky weather
• The wires could be longer

This Newpowa monocrystalline panel is smaller in size compared to most other panels. It comes up to about 45 x 20 inches, making it more manageable than bigger ones.

It’s made of monocrystalline cells that are highly efficient in turning power from the sun into free energy for our consumption and charging.

The panel’s aluminum framing prevents any corrosion, which extends the lifespan of the solar panel kit. That means I won’t have to constantly replace it.

The marine solar panel and some of its accessories are made to be waterproof. That way, they’ll survive even the most horrible weather conditions as you sail.

Venturing to areas and cities without much bright sunlight is no problem for this marine solar panel kit. The junction box is equipped with bypass diodes that ensure users don’t get any power outages even in cloudy, shaded areas.

• Smaller in size and more manageable than other solar panels
• The monocrystalline panels are efficient in converting power into energy
• Aluminum framing prevents corrosion, extending the solar panel’s life
• These monocrystalline solar panels can survive horrible weather
• Junction box has diodes to let your power work even in low-light areas
• You don’t get the rated 100-watt output every single day

This RICH SOLAR panel is one of my favorites for travelling. I love it because it allows for more sunlight absorption. The panels’ anti-reflective, high-transmission film also helps make energy conversion more efficient.

Because of these factors, this panel works extremely well even in areas that are low in sunlight . So when I know I’m going to be sailing to cloudy shores, I make sure to bring this panel along.

This set uses quick-connect cables that don’t take more than a few seconds to fix up. It makes installation fast and easy even for beginners.

There are also about 14 holes on the panel so that you can simply screw it onto your mount. That means you can set it up without the complication of drilling the holes yourself. The design is also compatible with a variety of mounts, further adding to user’s convenience.

• Its anti-reflective panels are high-transmission for even more efficiency
• High conversion efficiency even in areas without bright sunlight
• Uses quick-connect cables, so setting up is fast and easy even for beginners
• There are 14 pre-drilled holes on the panel for quick installation
• Works with many types of mounts
• Doesn’t include mounting brackets, so you have to purchase some

This solar panel by Topsolar emits 100 watts of power to charge any 12-volt battery while you’re on the go. It’s perfect for cars, RVs, and a huge range of off-grid uses, but it works excellently for boats too.

The panel is made with monocrystalline cells, protected by a coating of high-quality tempered glass. This protective layer also prevents wear-and-tear in the long term. Meanwhile, anodized aluminum frames the panel, protecting the edges from corrosion.

You get a V-shaped bracket along with your panel in this kit. This bracket allows users to tilt the panel in whatever direction they desire. It’s very helpful when we’re trying to position the panel to face the sunlight directly.

The charge controller this solar panel comes with is made with IP67-rated waterproof technology. This means it prevents any water damage from ruining our solar system.

• Charges any standard 12-volt battery while you’re on the go
• A wide range of uses
• The mono cells are protected with wear-resistant tempered glass
• The framing is made of anodized aluminum to protect the panel’s edges
• Comes with a V-shaped bracket to tilt the panel in the direction of the sun
• The charge controller is made with IP67 technology to avoid water damage
• The panel is quite heavy at almost 16 lbs, making it heavy to carry

This Newpowa panel emits 30 watts of power. That may sound small to some people, but it’s perfect for charging small devices and running just a few appliances on a short boat ride.

It’s made with high-efficiency monocrystalline cells. These cells allow for a more compact panel design that is smaller and more manageable than the brand’s polycrystalline panels.

Multiple layers of the panel protect its cells. This includes an ethylene-vinyl-acetate encapsulation, iron tempered glass, and even a TPT back sheet that can help with heat dissipation.

There are wires already pre-attached to the panel, one at 3 ft and another at 1 ft. Both of these have Anderson connectors as well, so users don’t have to fuss about setting them up themselves.

The panel also has holes pre-drilled in them, so it’s ready to be screwed into your mount or bracket of choice.

• Provides 30 watts of power, perfect for small devices and short trips
• Made with high-efficiency mono cells that allow for a compact design
• Cells are protected by multiple layers, like tempered glass and TPT backing
• The wires and connectors are pre-attached, which is great for beginners
• Comes with mounting holes already drilled on the back of the panel
• The solar panel isn’t weatherproof, so you can only use it on sunny days

HQST 100W 12V Solar Panel (Outdated)

This 100-watt solar panel by HQST is designed for efficiency and durability. The panel itself is anti-reflective, thanks to thick and durable tempered glass. It’s also lined with aluminum in its framing, which resists corrosion and damage to the panel’s edges.

Polycrystalline solar panels like this one are made with high-efficiency cells that convert more power into energy than the usual panel. They also contain diodes to bypass any power outages or drops when your boat travels into a shaded area.

This kit’s junction box is rated IP65, which means it’s waterproof. That way, it can resist damage from water jets and uncontrollable weather.

Installation is a breeze with the pre-drilled holes at the back of this panel. It’s perfect for newbies that don’t want to call in a professional to set it up.

• The anti-reflective panel is made with sturdy tempered glass
• An aluminum frame
• Polycrystalline panels efficiently convert the sun’s energy into power
• Contains diodes to bypass power outages when you go into low-light areas
• The junction box is rated IP65 to resist damage from undesirable weather
• Comes with holes drilled at the back of the solar panel for easy mounting
• The wires on the panel are quite short

WindyNation 100W Off-Grid Solar Panel (Outdated)

I love that this solar panel by WindyNation gives off a consistent 100 watts of power, provided that the panels are positioned directly under the sun. That makes it an ultra-reliable panel that isn’t flip-floppy when powering our devices.

The solar system comes with many accessories you’ll need to set up and use your panel. There’s a quality charge controller, some mounting brackets, and all the necessary cables needed.

My favorite part about this system is the charge controller. It has a high-quality LCD screen that displays all the information I need to see about my battery as it charges. It even has a sensor to help me monitor the battery’s temperature.

I can also choose and adjust what information settings are shown on the screen, depending on my preference. Buyers can get whatever information they’d like to know—amperage, amp-hours, temperatures, voltage, and more!

• Consistently provides 100 watts of power when positioned under the sun
• Comes with a charge controller, mounting brackets, and cables
• The charge controller has an LCD screen
• Sensor for battery temperature
• You can choose and adjust what settings to see on your LCD screen
• You must purchase fuses and fuse holders to complete this solar system

SUNER POWER 12-Volt Waterproof Solar Panel (Outdated)

This solar panel by SUNER POWER doubles as a battery charger. It’s powered by highly efficient polycrystalline cells on a sturdy solar panel. These solar cells generate battery power in any condition, even when the sun isn’t so bright.

The charging system follows a stringent and smart three-step algorithm, keeping your battery safe as it charges. It does so with a unique “Maximum Power Point Tracking” (MPPT) chip, which prevents battery issues like overcharging and short-circuiting. MPPT also allows the charge controller to generate up to 30% more power than others do.

The controller has a LED light where you can see all the pertinent information on your battery, like whether it’s charging and if the battery’s full.

This entire solar system is made with IP65 waterproof technology. It won’t be susceptible to water damage, so users don’t have to worry about backflow from the water around the boat causing damage to it.

• High-efficiency polycrystalline solar cells generate power in any condition
• Has a smart three-step charging algorithm for a safer charge
• Its unique MPPT chip protects your battery
• MPPT controller generates up to 30% more solar power than others
• Has a LED light to indicate battery status
• The system is IP65 waterproof, so it won’t be susceptible to water damage
• Designed to work only on 12V batteries

Easy to install through grommets or adhesives

Setting up traditional solar panels on regular surfaces like walls and roofs can be difficult as it is. It might be trickier on a moving, swaying boat.

Make sure your marine solar panels are a breeze to set up. Look for ones that are okay to simply stick onto surfaces with adhesives, or have pre-drilled holes so you can screw them onto a mount quickly.

Provides an adequate amount of energy to power up your batteries and appliances

Select marine solar panels that will give you the right amount of solar power to meet your energy requirements.

For example, if you only need solar power on the boat to charge devices in the short term, 50W or 100W might be enough for your trip.

However, if you intend to use your solar panel to charge marine battery, you’ll definitely need one that converts a higher amount of solar energy—perhaps some 200 watt marine solar panels.

Comes with all the necessary accessories, like connectors and junction boxes

Don’t put yourself through the hassle of buying each part of your marine solar system separately. Look for solar panels that provide all the necessary cables, boxes, and accessories to get you set up immediately. Ensure that your panel comes with connectors, junction boxes, charge controllers, and more.

Manufactured by a legitimate and respectable solar power brand

You must always purchase solar panels from legitimate brands that will give you top-notch and high-quality panels. There are many bogus panels in the market today, so double-check to make sure the solar panels you’re buying come from good, renowned manufacturers

If you’re not sure which solar panels to buy, it’s wise to go for classic, tried-and-tested brands. These include Renogy, TP-Solar, and SunPower marine solar panels.

Plus, buying from bigger brands will increase your chances of getting a product warranty that lasts years.

It depends on how much power you need to keep your appliances and gadgets up and running.

For shorter, one-day excursions, you can live with just one or two high-quality solar panels to provide some electricity to charge your phones and maybe a mini-fridge for the day.

But if you’re planning to sail for longer and live on the boat 24/7, you’ll probably need a bigger boat solar system with as many solar panels as you need. This is because you’ll likely have to run bigger appliances and lights, which demands more solar energy.

If you have a 12V marine refrigerator, it will likely only use up anywhere between 2-6 amps per hour. One solar panel emitting a usual 100 watts is more than enough power for such a fridge.

There are many different ways to set up solar panels on boats. If your solar panel is flexible, thin, and ultra-light, you can simply secure it in place with adhesives.

Thicker panels may need to be screwed in with grommets. If this is the route you’re going for, make sure you have sturdy mounting hardware to place your solar panels in.

Traveling through water may be relaxing and stylish, but the excursion is never complete without the best marine solar panels to provide solar energy and battery power during your trip. Hopefully, this round-up of traditional and flexible marine solar panels reviews help you out on your hunt to find the best panels.

Just make sure your panels are efficient in providing high power, waterproof to avoid damage from the sea, and thin and lightweight for easy mounting and storing. If you tick all those boxes, your sailboat solar panels should be all good.

I am Kathleen Miller, staff writer and reviewer of the Avasolar team. Working with the team has been a pleasure for me so far, I hope to bring readers useful information by creating detailed and easy-to-follow contents.

17 Best Solar Panels For Boats (Buyers Guide)

Welcome to our guide on the best solar panels for boats!

Let’s take a quick guess.

We could be wrong, but chances are, you’re a proud owner of a yacht, sailboat, canoe, or any other particular kind of marine vehicle.

Then one day, you heard a story from your fellow boater about how solar panels for boats are a niche thing gaining traction.

Now, you’re probably thinking:

“What would it take if I want to slap on some solar panels on my boat, bow to stern? Charging my battery with FREE electricity does sound nice. I also wouldn’t mind powering up some appliances to enhance my boating experience.”

The only problem is, the thought of getting this done becomes overwhelming – which is perfectly understandable.

“I hope it’s not too complicated.” you might say.

Contrary to what some of you might think, selecting the best solar panels for boats isn’t that intricate. In this article, we’ll talk about the main criteria for selecting marine solar panels, then we’ll give you our top recommendations to choose from. 

For reference, here are the top solar panel brands for boats that we’ve found on the market:

Alright, let’s dive in!

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Table of Contents

Best Solar Panels For Boats (Editors Choice)

Now, we understand that each of you has specific needs that’ll influence which solar panel you’ll go with.

With that in mind, we took varying common use cases for marine solar panels. Of course, this is not meant to act as standard criteria, it’s simply based on our expert opinion. 

By and large, you are looking at 20 watts up to 300 watts for boats meant for personal use. Of course, commercial boats can go for more. 

Typical use cases:

• Gadgets and Battery Recharge – 20 to 80 watts are enough to power your small gadgets such as GPS, cellphones, and mini laptops.

2. Cold beers and warm showers – 100 to 200 watts are enough for low-power appliances such as portable refrigerators, heaters, etc. We also recommend purchasing lithium-ion batteries and inverters too.

• Boating lifestyle – Going beyond 250 watts means that you have more space to install solar panels. In this instance, we recommend ultralight flexible solar panels. 

Now let’s set some expectations. Having solar panels alone isn’t enough to run a handful of appliances simultaneously. If you want to operate 400 to 2,000 watts worth of devices, you need a high-power inverter and batteries.

Nonetheless, this is a better choice for you than putting a heavy and noisy motor-based generator in your boat. 

Also, marine solar panel systems do not produce excess heat, making your boat safer and cooler. 

Lastly, your fuel source is FREE.

How To Choose Solar Panels For Boats?

Contrary to what some of you may think, learning how to choose solar panels for boats works about the same as designing an off-grid or RV roof solar system.

Four Basic PV System Components

Complete solar panel systems for boats include the four essential components of a photovoltaic (PV) system, namely:

• Solar panels
• Charge controllers
• Batteries or energy storage systems

Solar Panels

When solar panels absorb irradiance from the sun during the daytime, the solar cells convert this solar energy into electric energy. From here, the electric current generates flow into your appliances and serves as their electric source.

Limitations of Solar Panels Alone

However, there are challenges to this simple setup. That is why it’s worth your time and resources to consider other solar system components such as batteries, charge controllers, and inverters. 

One of the inherent problems with solar electricity is using it as you produce it.

Putting batteries or energy storage systems (ESS) in your system solves this problem and allows you to store solar energy for on-demand use and emergencies. 

For example, batteries help you enjoy your appliances continuously. Batteries act as a backup to your solar panels when clouds suddenly block the path of the sunlight.

Of course, having an ESS in your boat’s solar panel system is optional, but if you have appliances that you’ll be using at night or want to be prepared for emergencies, we suggest you consider it in your budget. 

If you’re interested in reading about our top picks for lithium-ion batteries for boats , click here .

Inverters allow you to convert your 12-volt or 24-volt DC panel or battery output into 120 volts or 220 volts AC. Having an inverter in your marine solar system is perfect if you want to run some appliances rated at standard household voltages. 

Solar Charge Controllers

Lastly, solar charge controllers are safety devices meant to prevent your batteries from overcharging or over-discharging. Charge controllers achieve this safety measure by controlling the voltage and current flow to and from your batteries. 

The voltage and current regulating feature of a solar charge controller also mean that your devices and appliances connected to your batteries are protected.

There are various types of solar charge controllers in the market, but we don’t want to geek out too much. Instead, focus on the most common ones, such as the Maximum Power Point Tracking charge controller, a.k.a. MPPT, or the Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) charge controller.

The main difference between PWM and MPPT, charge control devices is that the MPPT devices are more efficient and best for large systems that can maximize their solar charging acceleration benefit, while PWM is for small-scale applications. 

Solar charge controllers that use MPPT can accelerate solar charging of your battery up to 30% of the solar system output. 

On the other hand, PWM charge controllers are older than MPPT controllers. They are cheaper (costing $20 to $60 compared to MPPTs playing around $100 to $729), more straightforward, and less efficient. They’re also great for reducing harmonics which can damage your sensitive electronics.

Sample Solar Panel Setup

For your convenience, here is a diagram of what a solar system looks like that contains all the components we discussed.

Now, let’s focus our attention on solar panels. What is the primary consideration for choosing your marine solar panel? 

The most important feature you should look for when choosing solar panels for boats is their performance quality and ability to withstand harsh weather conditions. Therefore, you’re looking to buy solar panels from reputable companies that focus their values on performance and solar panel production quality. 

Aside from that, other considerations are the weight and size of the panels since (as we’ve previously mentioned) you have limited solar panel real estate to work with on your boat.

What Are The 17 Best Solar Panels For Boats?

Choosing the best solar panels for your boat depends on your situation.

For example, we recommend that “small” boat owners purchase flexible panels while larger boats can afford standard solar panels with robust aluminum frames.  

  1. HQST 100 Watt Monocrystalline 12V Solar Panel

Main Features:

• Cost: $89 ($0.89 per watt)
• Compact Design 
• High-Efficiency Solar Panel
• Corrosion-resistant aluminum frame for better longevity

View on Amazon

• Lightweight (9.92 lbs)
• Space-efficient
• Long lifespan and very robust build
• Solar Panel Only
• Needs mounting Z-bracket

2. Renogy Flexible Monocrystalline Marine Solar Panel

• Cost: $174 ($1.74 per watt)
• Weighs 70% less than conventional panels
• 0.1 inch thick. 95% thinner than traditional marine solar panels
• This solar panel can be flexed to a maximum of 248 degrees which makes it easier to transport and install.
• Perfect for marine use
• Ultra-Portable
• Ultra-Compact Design
• Maintains solar panel resilience despite being lightweight and flexible
• Waterproof: IP 68
• Multiple solar power ratings are available
• Unconventional mounting procedure
• Adhesive instead of brackets
• Mixed reviews on post-purchase technical support
• Solar Panel ONLY

3. Renogy Flexible Kit with 100W Monocrystalline Panel

• Cost: $220 ($2.20 per watt)
• This solar panel can be flexed to a maximum of 248 degrees which makes it easier to transport and install
• With waterproof charge controller
• No inverter

4. Renogy 100 Watt 12 Volt Off Grid Solar Premium Kit

• Cost: $283 ($2.83 per watt)
• Premium MPPT charge controller
• Comes with a fuse
• Rapid, efficient, and safe battery charging
• Waterproof panel and cables: IP67 
• IP65 rated junction box 
• High-efficiency solar cells
• El tested solar modules; no hot-spot heating Corrosion-Resistant aluminum frame
• Best for systems with batteries
• Fast-charging
• Built to last
• Emphasis on safety and longevity 
• Remote control and monitoring via Bluetooth app
• Great value for buyers who appreciate monitoring and fast-charging features
• A bit expensive ($2.83 per watt)
• Mixed reviews on post-purchase technical supportu003cbru003e

5. ECO-WORTHY 25 Watts 12V Waterproof Solar Panel

• Cost: $58 ($2.32 per watt)
• Easy to install
• Best for off-grid applications
• Buyers like that this product’s plug-and-play feature
• Most buyers think it is a good buy
• Some customers have issues with wires and charge controllers. They aren’t as reliable as advertised.

6. Newpowa 30W Watts 12V Mono Solar Panel

• Cost: $60 ($2 per watt)
• Waterproof: IP67
• Plug and Play anderson connectors
• Easy install thanks to pre-drilled mounting holes
• Perfect for boats: corrosion-resistant aluminum frame
• Waterproof panels 
• Great value for money
• Robust and built to last
• Lacks battery and inverter
• Compatible with specific mounting brackets

7. Newpowa 100 Watts 12 Volts Monocrystalline Solar Panel

Main Features :

• Cost: $93.50 ($0.935 per watt)
• More compact new design
• Higher efficiency solar cells
• Includes “Z” brackets and stainless steel hardware screws
• Great customer satisfaction
• Outstanding charging power
• Reliable post-purchase tech support
• Lacks, charge controller battery and inverter
• No indication of waterproof solar panels

8. ECO-WORTHY Complete Solar Panel Kit

• Cost: $500 ($2.50 per watt)
• 21% High solar cell efficiency
• Corrosion-resistant aluminum frame for outdoor use, allowing the panels to last for decades as well as withstand high winds and snow loads
• Complete solar panel kit
• Pure sine wave inverter with LCD display 
• 1 year warranty
• 24/7 technical support team
• An excellent choice to explore all the essential components of a solar system. 
• Complete accessories and easy installation
• Water-resistant
• The entire kit will be shipped in several packages 
• There is a chance of logistic and shipping problems
• There is a chance of receiving defective products

9. SUNSUL 20 Watt 12V Solar Panel Kit

• Cost: $46 ($2.3 per watt)
• Solar panel comes with Waterproof 5A 12V/24V PWM Solar Charge Controller and Adjustable Solar Panels Mount Rack Bracket
• High-efficiency solar cell design
• East installation thanks to the adjustable mounting bracket
• PWM charge controller
• Company claims a perfect After-Sales Service
• High strength aluminum frame
• High-strength aluminum frame
• Waterproof: IP67 and TPT Backsheet
• Great tech support
• Lightweight (4.2 pounds)
• Some customers claim to receive defective items 
• No installation guide comes with the product. You would have to rely on online resources.u003cbru003e

10. Topsolar Flexible Solar Panel

• Cost: $80 ($1.6 per watt)
• Perfect for irregular surfaces or curvatures
• 0.1 inch thick and weighs 4 lbs.
• Ideal for marine solar systems
• High temperature resistant and easy to clean. 
• Solar panels made of advanced waterproof materials. 
• Company claims it is more durable than traditional glass and aluminum model solar panels
• Good flexibility
• Lightweight and Thin
• Waterproof and durable
• Has 100W version
• Portable and compact
• Solar panel ONLY
• Modules must be mounted using silicone structural adhesive on the backside of the panel

11. RICH SOLAR 200 Watt 12 Volt Polycrystalline Solar Panel

• Cost: $172 ($0.86 per watt)
• Standard solar panel size 
• Pre-drilled mounting holes
• Excellent low light performance on cloudy days, mornings and evenings
• Certified to withstand challenging environmental conditions with tempered glass and aluminumm frames
• 25-year warranty on power output
• 5-year material and workmanship warranty
• High Performance
• Durable and Weatherproof
• Fast and easy installation
• Great warranty coverage
• Great post-purchase technical support
• Lacks charge controller battery and inverter
• No mounting brackets

12. WEIZE 200 Watt 12 Volt Monocrystalline Solar Panel

• Cost: $200 ($1 per watt)
• Monocrystalline solar cells have higher efficiency (up to 21%) compared to polycrystalline in bright weather condition
• Long service life and is virtually maintenance-free
• Corrosion-resistant and weatherproof thanks to high quality aluminum frames, tempered glass and sealed junction box.
• Pre-drilled holes compatible with common ground mounts, Z-brackets, side pole mounts and tilt mounts.
• Great for outdoors
• Durable and weatherproof
• High efficiency
• Solar panel only
• No indication of warranty coverage.

13. EF ECOFLOW 110W Solar Panel with Portable Power Station

• Cost: $950 ($8.63 per watt)
• Portable ESS and extra battery included
• Sleek and modern look
• Solar plus storage and inverter  
• Has various charging ports to power all types of devices
• Can support 1200 running watts at any moment
• Premium feel
• Efficient solar power
• Wide device compatibility
• Designed for outdoors
• Modular and expandable
• Perfect for getting your feet wet in solar plus storage
• Modular Design but Exclusive compatibility to the brand

14. Jackery Solar Generator 1000

• Cost: $1,499 ($7.50 per watt)
• Portable ESS with 1002 Wh or 46.4 Ah capacity at 21.6V
• Solar plus storage and inverter 
• Can support 1000 running watts at any moment
• Modular design but exclusive compatibility to the brand

15. Jackery SolarSaga 60W Solar Panel

• Cost: $150 ($2.5 per watt)
• Weighing at only 6.6 lb, this solar panel is foldable and handy with a TPE rubber handle.
• Has a kickstand that leans on an angle ideal for solar energy absorption
• Premium solar panel
• High-efficiency cells 
• It could be coupled with a Jackery portable power station for fast-chargingu003cbru003eu003cbru003eCheck out: u003ca href=u0022https://www.amazon.com/Jackery-Portable-Power-Station-Generator/dp/B07D29QNMJu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopener nofollowu0022u003eJackery 240 portable power stationu003c/au003e
• Expensiveu003cbru003e

16. DOKIO Foldable 100 Watt Monocrystalline Solar Panel

• Cost: $200 ($2 per watt)
• Easy operation. Unfold your solar panel then place it on the ground
• Portable with carrying bag
• Durable and corrosion-resistant
• Easy to set up
• Great value for those in need of a foldable panel.
• Weatherproof
• A bit heavy (18.5 lbs)
• Mixed reviews on the design. Some people think that the legs of the panel are substandard.
• A bit expensive ($2 per watt)

17. Foldable Renogy 100 Watt 12 Volt Monocrystalline 

• Cost: $220 ($2.2 per watt)
• 21% High Solar Cell Efficiency: EL tested solar modules with bypass diodes
• High transparency tempered glass for durability and high efficiency in low solar power availability
• No hot-spot heating
• Adjustable, corrosion-resistant aluminum stand
• Durable handle and latches
• Built-in 5-stage solar charge controller charges batteries fast and safely
• Electronic device protection mechanism (overcharging, overload, short-circuit and reversed polarity)
• Easy to set up 
• LCD charge controller with safety features
• Chance to get a defective suitcase.
• Heavy (28.6 lbs)

How Long Do Solar Panels Last On Boats?

While there’s no straightforward answer to this, knowing how long your solar panels will last on a boat depends mainly on the manufacturer and the solar panel’s build quality. 

That said, established solar panel developers usually brag about their warranty policies. Therefore, when reviewing your standard marine solar panels, look for 25 years warranty for the solar panel production and five years for the material itself. 

Flexible and foldable panels (or adjustable panels as we would like to call them) have shorter warranties. This is because elastic panels trade their longevity in exchange for being ultralightweight, ultra-thin, and compact compared to standard panels.

In a nutshell, standard solar panels last you about 25 years, while adjustable solar panels have a typical lifespan of 5 years.

Are Solar Panels Safe On Boats?

Definitely.

If you follow proper wiring procedures and sizes, solar panels are safe on boats. Unlike fossil-fuel generators that generate heat as they produce electricity, solar systems have a negligible risk of starting fires, making solar panels safe on boats.

Are Solar Panels For Boats Worth The Money?

We get this question a lot, and our answer remains the same – solar panels are worth the money. They provide your boat with free, clean electricity. They’re a good investment for rational investors and people looking to transition to green energy.

For those who want more details, the return of your investment for solar panels is usually 2.5 to 15 years depending on the amount of solar power in your area. Read more about it in this article .

Final Thoughts 

Solar panels on boats provide several benefits, mainly monetary savings from clean energy. It is a good purchase for rational investors and people who want to contribute to the green energy movement. Of course, there is a substantial lump sum that you will invest upfront. But trust us when we say that it will be worth it.

Gustav has a Bachelor of Engineering and is currently practicing as a senior-level electrical engineer specializing in research. He is eager to deliver his analyses in a comical fashion while providing you with the right amount of scientific information. He believes that, with a bit of help, a well-informed decision is rewarding to make, it saves you money, and it is a win-win for all - the planet included.

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Solar Energy

The Ultimate Guide to Solar Panels for Boats

by Federica Rustico 7 months ago 15 min

Reading time 15 min

Boats, irrespective of their size, require a substantial amount of energy for various functions such as maintaining autopilot, illuminating navigation lights, and powering communication systems. Harnessing solar energy for boats is a revolutionary step towards clean, reliable, and cost-effective power. They serve as a dependable power source, ensuring the uninterrupted operation of onboard systems and appliances, from navigation and communication devices to lighting and refrigeration.

They also eliminate the need for carrying additional fuel or relying on marina power hookups, enhancing a boat’s autonomy and reducing operating costs. This way, the journey becomes more enjoyable and less restrictive, whether it’s a leisurely sail or an adventurous long-distance voyage. Adopting solar power for boats also has considerable environmental implications. By leveraging this renewable energy source, we can lower carbon footprints and contribute towards a greener, more sustainable future. Solar panels for boats create no noise pollution, making them the perfect energy solution for maintaining the serene ambiance of marine surroundings. Given these numerous advantages, it’s no surprise that more and more boat owners are equipping their vessels with solar panels. This article provides an in-depth look into the world of marine solar panels and sheds light on why they are an excellent choice for energy generation on your boat.

How Do Solar Panels for Boats Work? 

The operating principle of solar panels for boats is largely similar to their application on land-based systems, with some specific adjustments to cater to the marine environment. At their core, solar panels contain photovoltaic (PV) cells, which are semiconductors that absorb sunlight. This absorbed sunlight triggers the movement of electrons in the semiconductor material, producing an electric current. 

When a solar panel is exposed to sunlight, it produces DC (Direct Current) electricity. However, many boat systems and appliances run on AC (Alternating Current) electricity, which requires the DC electricity to be converted via an inverter. In contrast, some boat-specific equipment, like navigation systems, radios, and certain light fixtures, run directly on DC power. One significant component of a solar power system is the charge controller, or solar regulator, which protects the batteries from overcharging by regulating the voltage and current coming from the solar panels.

Solar panels for boats are often coupled with a battery system for energy storage. The most commonly used batteries are lead-acid and lithium-ion, with the latter becoming increasingly popular due to their longer lifespan, high energy density, and decreasing costs. When sunlight is abundant, the solar panels charge these batteries, storing energy that can be used when the sun isn’t shining or during nighttime operations. In marine applications, solar panels need to be durable to withstand the harsh conditions at sea, including exposure to saltwater, strong winds, and extreme temperatures. Therefore, marine solar panels often come with water-resistant and corrosion-resistant features. They also need to be flexible or semi-flexible to conform to the shape of the vessel and must be installed in a way that does not interfere with the boat’s operations. One significant advantage of solar panels for boats is the potential for an infinite range. When sunlight is available, and the energy system, including battery storage, is well-managed, a solar-powered boat could theoretically operate indefinitely without the need for traditional refueling stops.

Solar Power Suitability for Different Boat Sizes

The application of solar energy transcends the limitations of boat sizes. Regardless of the vessel’s dimensions, incorporating solar power has proven to be an efficient and effective solution. Having enough space on your boat that is unobstructed and exposed to sunlight is crucial for the effective functioning of your solar panels. Shading can drastically reduce energy production. Therefore, it’s essential to identify a suitable spot for permanent installation. For boats with limited space, high-efficiency panels that produce more power per unit area are recommended. To determine the appropriate solar panel setup, you can review the power consumption of your appliances or use a battery monitor to assess your boat’s daily energy consumption. This, in conjunction with the size of your boat’s battery, will guide you in choosing the right solar panels.

Small-sized Boats: For small-sized boats, like dinghies or small sailboats, a limited solar setup can provide ample energy. These boats typically have fewer electronic systems, thus necessitating less power. Small, portable, or flexible solar panels can effectively cater to these energy needs without overwhelming the limited space.

Medium-sized Boats: Medium-sized boats, such as cabin cruisers or larger sailboats, often have more extensive electrical systems, including lighting, refrigeration, navigation equipment, and entertainment systems. They require a more substantial solar setup, often necessitating a combination of portable, flexible, and rigid solar panels to meet their energy demands efficiently.

Large-sized Boats: Large-sized boats like yachts or commercial ships have extensive and varied power needs, including substantial lighting systems, comprehensive navigation and communication equipment, HVAC systems, kitchen appliances, and more. These vessels require a significant investment in solar infrastructure. A combination of high-efficiency rigid solar panels, potentially supplemented with flexible panels to utilize available space, can help meet these higher power demands.

It is important to note that while solar power is a fantastic solution for energy generation on boats of all sizes, the individual needs, space availability, and power requirements should always be considered when designing a boat’s solar energy system.

Do you need a charge controller? 

While installing a solar panel system on your boat, consider incorporating a charge controller. This device ensures your battery is neither overloaded nor overcharged, thereby prolonging its lifespan. Even though it’s not strictly necessary, a charge controller helps your boat use just the right amount of energy and is generally a good idea to install.

Different Types of Solar Panels for Boats

Boating enthusiasts have a wide range of solar panel options to choose from, each with unique benefits and drawbacks. It’s crucial to choose the right one for your boat, taking into account your specific needs, the vessel’s size, and the available space. Here’s a closer look at the three main types: 

Portable Solar Panels

Portable solar panels are growing in popularity among boat owners due to their mobility and easy installation. Their compact design allows for straightforward transportation and setup, making them an excellent option for those seeking a reliable energy source onboard. These solar solutions are not only cost-effective, as they negate the need for fuel, but they’re also maintenance-free and eco-friendly. They produce zero emissions and don’t contribute to noise pollution. When considering portable panels, factors like size, power output rating, and panel quality are critical. It’s equally important to ensure they are waterproof and weather-resistant — panels with an IP68 rating are ideal. Portable panels are an exemplary choice for boaters wanting to keep their ecological footprint minimal while maintaining a steady power supply.

Rigid Solar Panels

Rigid solar panels provide a long-term solution for those wanting a steady power supply for their boat. These are permanently affixed to the boat’s surface and usually composed of robust materials such as tempered glass or aluminum, making them durable. Rigid panels are prized for their efficiency, generating a higher power yield per square inch than portable alternatives. This makes them well-suited for larger vessels or boats with substantial energy needs. Their durability is another significant benefit. These panels can withstand harsh marine conditions, including constant saltwater exposure and extreme weather. However, it’s crucial to ensure that the selected panels are waterproof, with an IP68 rating being optimal. Installation can be complex due to the permanent nature of these panels. Proper mounting is vital to prevent potential damage or loss. Despite this complexity, rigid panels offer room for customization and expansion, as you can form larger arrays by connecting several panels.

Flexible Solar Panels

Flexible solar panels, a recent innovation in solar technology , offer a more adaptable alternative to rigid panels. These consist of lightweight and bendable materials, such as thin-film photovoltaic cells, allowing them to conform to curved or uneven surfaces. The primary advantage of flexible panels is their adaptability. They can fit onto a variety of surfaces, making them an ideal choice for boats, recreational vehicles, and other outdoor applications. Their lightweight design is beneficial where weight restrictions apply.

Flexible panels are also quite durable, capable of enduring severe weather conditions such as hail, rain, and high winds. As with other types, an IP68 waterproof rating is crucial. However, flexible panels do have their drawbacks. They typically generate less power than rigid panels, which can limit their ability to meet high energy demands. They also tend to have shorter lifespans and may need replacing more frequently. In conclusion, flexible panels are best suited for enhancing a rigid solar panel system, allowing you to utilize all available space for solar power generation. They are not intended to be the sole solar solution.

Choosing the Appropriate Solar Panel for Your Boat

The process of choosing the right solar panel for your boat entails several considerations, each essential in ensuring an optimal and efficient solar energy system. Here are the key factors to take into account:

Power Output: First, it’s essential to identify the total energy required by all electrical equipment aboard your boat. This can be achieved by estimating each device’s wattage and operational duration. Following this, calculate the minimum panel output needed to cater to this energy demand by dividing the total watt-hours required by the average number of sunlight hours per day.  The power output also influences the choice of your solar battery and system balance since the overall solar power system must be compatible with your photovoltaic (PV) panels. Note that you cannot feed electricity directly from the panels into your boat appliances; a portable power station or a similar solution is needed to store and distribute the energy. 

Durability and Weather Resistance: It’s crucial to ensure your chosen solar panels are resistant to impact and adverse weather conditions. An IP68 waterproof rating is highly recommended to protect your panels from wave splashes and rainfall.

Size and Weight: The dimensions and weight of the panels should correspond to your energy needs and the available space on your boat. Aim to choose panels that can meet your energy demands without occupying too much space or adding significant weight.

Installation and Maintenance: Consider the time and cost required for installation and maintenance. Depending on the complexity, you might need professional assistance for installation. Note that not all panels require mounting brackets; portable panels allow for flexibility and cost-saving, bypassing the need for permanent installation.

Brand Reputation: It’s advisable to invest in solar panels from a trusted brand with a proven track record of quality and reliability. Seeking reviews and insights from other boat owners can be beneficial when making your decision.

Cost: Solar panel costs can vary based on size, efficiency, and brand. Keep your budget in mind and aim to select panels that offer the best return on investment.

Top Picks for Solar Panels for Boats

When choosing the perfect solar panel for your boat, several factors should be considered, such as efficiency, cost, ease of installation, and durability. Here, we delve into five top-notch solar panels for boats based on EcoWatch :

1. SunPower 170W Solar Panel

Known for their excellent residential solar panels, SunPower extends their reputation into marine applications with their high-performance 170W solar panel. This unit comes at a higher cost, but its robust power output justifies the price. With this panel, you can comfortably power your boat’s primary battery, emergency backups, and various appliances. Unfortunately, this package doesn’t include a solar charge controller or an inverter, necessitating extra expenses. Nevertheless, the power efficiency makes the investment worthwhile. The panel carries an IP67 waterproof rating, enabling it to survive water immersion up to three feet for about half an hour.

• High-quality materials with optimal power output
• Reliable brand reputation
• Waterproof to a depth of about one meter for 30 minutes
• High cost and no extra equipment included

2. Renogy 100W Flexible Marine Solar Panel

For a reasonable cost, the Renogy Flexible solar panel offers respectable power output and waterproofing. With a capacity of 100W, it’s an excellent choice for moderate power needs, charging various electronic devices. It also includes a controller and wiring, only requiring an inverter and battery to complete the setup.

• Good power output with an IP67 waterproof rating
• Comes with a controller and wiring
• Renowned brand
• It costs more than some other options and doesn’t include a battery or inverter

3. EcoWorthy 25W Solar Panel Kit

For those new to solar energy, the EcoWorthy solar panel kit makes a great entry point. The kit includes MC4 connectors, making installation quick and hassle-free. However, its smaller power output restricts its use to backup power or charging smaller electronics. With an IP65 rating, it can endure water submersion up to five feet for half an hour.

• IP65 waterproof rating
• Highly affordable
• No included battery or inverter
• Lower power output compared to top picks

4. NewPowa 30W Solar Panel Kit

The NewPowa solar panel kit is a cost-effective option that includes a panel, a controller, and wiring. With a 30W output, it’s well-suited for light-duty use. Its IP67-rated panels and controller make it a safe choice for various boat types.

• Affordable with an IP67 waterproof rating
• Easy installation
• Low power output
• Battery and inverter not included

5. TopSolar Monocrystalline Solar Panel Kit

If you’re a beginner seeking a backup energy source, the TopSolar kit is an excellent choice. While its 20W output limits its use to emergency power, it’s easy to install and comes at a lower price. Though no specific IP rating is provided, the manufacturer claims it is waterproof.

• Affordable and easy to install
• Includes a controller and wiring
• Suitable for backup power
• Doesn’t include a battery or inverter
• No specific IP rating
• Limited power output

The Benefits of Installing Solar Panels for Boats

Opting to install solar panels on your boat opens a gateway into the realm of clean energy, significantly improving your boating experience in multiple ways. There are a few key use cases that help illustrate the value of adopting a solar panel system on your boat. These scenarios do not only help determine the necessity of solar panels for your vessel, but they also aid in identifying the most suitable and cost-efficient system for your needs. Below, we delve into the different motivations for embracing solar power on your boat.

Emergency Equipment Charging

The unpredictable nature of sea adventures underscores the importance of having reliable emergency equipment on board. Whether you find yourself in a situation where you’ve run out of fuel, encountered a mechanical issue, or faced with other unforeseen complications preventing a safe return to shore, having a dependable communication device can be a lifesaver. Many boats are equipped with emergency systems such as radio systems, satellite phones, or regular phones. However, these devices are reliant on power. By integrating a solar system into your boat, you can ensure a continuous power supply for these devices, providing peace of mind during your sea excursions.

Recreational Equipment Charging

Beyond emergencies, the utility of solar panels extends to everyday recreational needs. Having the ability to charge devices like smartphones, e-readers, speakers, and other entertainment equipment can enhance your sea experience. This aspect gains significance, especially if you plan on spending multiple days at sea and don’t want to deplete your boat’s batteries. By allowing your solar system to handle the power needs of your recreational equipment, you ensure that your boat’s batteries remain sufficiently charged for critical functions such as lighting, navigation tools, and starting your boat’s engine.

Low Maintenance

Solar systems for boats are generally hassle-free once installed, requiring only periodic maintenance to ensure safety and optimal energy production. Approximately every six months, it’s advisable to clean your solar panels by rinsing them with water to remove any accumulation of dirt or salt. This simple routine helps maintain the panels’ efficiency by maximizing energy generation. During these semiannual checks, it’s also crucial to inspect the system’s wires and connectors for signs of corrosion, especially if your boat operates in saltwater environments. Checking for intact connections after major storms is a prudent practice to avoid battery charging issues, which could pose a problem if backup power is ever needed. Solar systems on boats are generally considered safe. There is a minimal risk of fire, but regular maintenance and system checks can effectively mitigate such risks. Therefore, while the maintenance required is not extensive, its impact on safety and efficiency is significant.

Wrapping Up

Installing solar panels on your boat presents an array of benefits that enhance your boating experience while also contributing to the preservation of our planet. From powering emergency and recreational equipment, improving your quality of life at sea, offering a low-maintenance energy solution, to providing silent operation, the advantages of solar power on the water are undeniable. Choosing the right solar panels for your boat might require some careful consideration and calculations, but the payoff in terms of cost savings, environmental impact, and overall comfort is certainly worth the investment. With the advancements in solar technology and growing awareness of sustainable practices, it’s an opportune time to harness the power of the sun and sail towards a greener future.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Do i need a charge controller for my boat’s solar panel system.

While not strictly necessary, a charge controller helps regulate the voltage and current coming from the solar panels, protecting the batteries from overcharging and prolonging their lifespan.

Do solar panels require regular maintenance on boats?

Solar panels on boats require minimal maintenance. Periodic cleaning to remove dirt, salt, or debris and checking connections for any signs of damage or corrosion are recommended to ensure optimal performance.

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The Best Solar Panels for Boats of 2024

Solar panels are a great way to give your boat energy and power. If you like taking long rides on motorized watercraft, having solar panels can reduce your energy costs. They also make sure that the boat is efficient and never runs out of power in an emergency. There are multiple options for solar panels available, which can make the market search even more confusing. To help you find a suitable pick, we have shortlisted and keenly reviewed our favorite solar panels for boats in 2024.

A top-quality product not only lasts long but also delivers efficient results. This is why it is essential to invest your money in high-end solar panels. All our products are selected based on their overall performance and ability to deliver high-end results.

Our Top Picks

• Best Overall: Renogy Solar Panels for Boats Shop Now ➔
• Most Lightweight Design: Rophie Solar Panels for Boats Shop Now ➔
• Premium Kit: TopSolar Solar Panels for Boats Shop Now ➔
• Best Backup Kit: ECO-WORTHY Solar Panels for Boats Shop Now ➔
• Simple Installation: Sunway Solar Panels for Boats Shop Now ➔
• Premier Foldable Panel: EF ECOFLOW Solar Panels for Boats Shop Now ➔
• 1 What to Consider When Buying Solar Panels? 
• 2 Size 
• 3 Type 
• 4 Accessories 
• 5 How Do Solar Panels for Boats Work? 
• 6 Installation
• 7 What Are Care Requirements to Enhance the Life of Solar Panels for Boats? 
• 9 Cleaning 
• 10 What Are the Properties of Charge Controllers for Solar Panels for Boats? 
• 11 Basic charge controllers 
• 12 Mid-range charge controllers
• 13 Max power charge controllers 
• 14 Conclusion 

Can solar panels for boats run a trolling boat motor?

How long does it take for a solar panel to charge your boat’s battery, why do people consider installing solar panels for boats, the best solar panels for boats, best overall.

Renogy Solar Panels for Boats

The Renogy are 100W monocrystalline solar panels providing an average of 400-500Wh or 33-41Ah of electricity per day, so you have reliable performance. It has bypass diodes that protect the solar cells from overheating, so you don’t have to worry about maintenance. In addition, it features a corrosion-resistant aluminum train providing extended outdoor use without any extra damage.

These solar panels come with pre-drilled holes on the back so that you can install and mount them without spending money on professional help. They measure 42.2 x 19.6 x 1.38 inches and weigh 14.3 pounds, making them lightweight and convenient. Moreover, you can install them on boats, rooftops, cabins, and more for multifunctional use. Because of their efficiency and reliability, these solar panels stand at the top of our list.

• They are weather-resistant 
• These solar panels maintain cell temperature 
• Provide reliable performance
• Only compatible with Renogy ground mounts and brackets

Most Lightweight Design

Rophie Solar Panels for Boats

The Rophie Solar Panels easily stands out on this list. Designed with impeccable efficiency, they accelerate solar charging to the next level, making it ideal for outdoor enthusiasts and off-grid boat owners. These solar panels convert sunlight into power rapidly, while their ultra-light, foldable design ensures convenience during transport and installation. Don’t let their light weight fool you, though, as they pack an impressive 200 watts, delivering unmatched power performance for your boat or outdoor camping.

These panels don’t just excel in efficiency and power; they’re also built to endure. Their IP67 waterproof grading ensures that they remain operational even under challenging weather conditions. Their high-quality MC-4 connectors further optimize power transfer while ensuring safe and secure connections. Plus, their compact design won’t take up much space, proving to be the optimal choice for boat owners who value both power and convenience.

• Lightweight and easily transportable
• Durable and water-resistant
• High-performance with 200W
• Can be a little pricey

Premium Kit

TopSolar Solar Panels for Boats

The TopSolar Solar Panels are available in a kit containing 20W solar panels, a solar charger regulator of 12V/24V, two 6.5-foot cables with alligator clips, and an O-ring terminal to have a complete experience while on the go. They are perfect for off-grid 12-volt battery charging systems providing you with various DC applications like cabins, boats, battery-operated gates, and more. They come with a 10A solar charger controller preventing the battery from overcharging, discharging, and risk of short circuit for a safe experience. 

These solar panels have aluminum and tempered glass frames, ensuring a durable and weather-resistant use. Weighing 2.75 pounds and measuring 2.32 x 13.86 x 17.13 inches, they are compact and portable. 

• Easy to store and carry 
• They come in a complete kit 
• Provide excellent weather resistance
• Not suitable for large areas and machinery

Best Backup Kit

ECO-WORTHY Solar Panels for Boats

The Eco-Worthy Solar Panels are 10W 12V solar car battery chargers that can be used to recharge boats, motorcycles, boats, snowmobiles, and tractors. They feature a cigarette plug option supplying you with constant power when needed. This kit includes a cigarette lighter adapter, one pair of battery clips, and four-piece PVC suckers ensuring maximum results in no time. 

They also have energy-saving, built-in blocking diodes that prevent reverse discharge from maintaining and extending battery life for maximum durability. It measures 1.4 x 9.6 x 15.3 inches and weighs only 1.5 pounds, so you have a compact product at hand

• They are available in a complete kit 
• These panels are lightweight and compact 
• They can recharge different types of vehicles
• Only designed for vehicles

Simple Installation

Sunway Solar Panels for Boats

The Sunway Solar Panels are battery charger panel mounts that require a simple installation on any windshield or dash, giving you a quick and convenient experience. They come with 12-volt batteries and a maintainer that protect your panels from overheating and discharging, ensuring safe and convenient use. In addition, these panels are equipped with ultra-clear PC glass, so you have a strong and durable product. 

They contain built-in blocking diodes that prevent reverse charging allowing your battery to maintain its useful life. Moreover, they also come with a blinking LED charge indicator that lets you know when the job is done.

• Comes with a battery maintainer
• Do not require professional installation 
• Comes with charging indicators
• Suitable to recharge small batteries only

Premier Foldable Panel

EF ECOFLOW Solar Panels for Boats

The EF Ecoflow provides 160W solar portable and foldable solar panels, delivering a compact and easy-to-carry experience. They are designed to produce maximum power at any time of the day when paired with an EcoFlow power station, so you never run out of electricity. Moreover, they have a seamless one-piece waterproof design, so you can use them during outdoor activities like camping and hiking. 

These solar panels are also equipped with protection during transportation, enabling you to carry them without any concerns. Each pack comes with an Ecoflow 160W solar panel, kickstand case, user manual, and warranty card, so you don’t have to make any additional purchases. 

• They can be folded for easy storage 
• Comes in a complete kit
• Suitable for different outdoor activities
• Can only be paired with an Ecoflow power station

Solar Panels for Boats Buying Guide

We have compiled a detailed buying guide to help you pick a suitable product. It will give you an idea about your requirements for solar panels for boats. 

What to Consider When Buying Solar Panels? 

Since solar panels are an expensive addition to your asset list, here are a couple of essentials to remember when purchasing. 

The size of panels is directly related to the size of your boat. You must get something to match the energy requirements of your boat or greater. A solar panel too small might not power it and leave you frustrated. Other than this, smaller products have less battery time which means they will turn off much quicker than something explicitly designed for the size of your boat. 

From PVC to glass covering and fully flexible panels, the type you choose determines their cost. This helps you establish your budget according to your needs. A glass-fronted solar panel is among the most budget-friendly options, but they are not as weather resistant. Besides this, a polycarbonate version is more expensive, but they are incredibly weather resistant and have a longer life. 

Accessories 

A charge controller or maintainer is an essential component available for your boat’s solar panels. This product protects your panels from battery damage. They prevent any risk of overheating, battery discharge, or sudden drops. A charge controller is essential if you want to elongate the battery’s life. Most brands also offer mount brackets, so you don’t have to purchase them separately. 

How Do Solar Panels for Boats Work? 

Solar panels for boats work just like any other portable energy provider. To install it successfully, you must have four components: the solar panel itself, charge controller, inverter, and battery. When solar panels in the boat hit sunlight, they convert it into the electrical current, supplying your boat with the required energy. 

Boat solar panels can work without a charger maintainer (controller), but there is a risk of overcharging your device. Therefore, you must keep it in place to avoid any risk of battery damage. 

The need for an inverter depends on the number of appliances that need a charge. For instance, if you wish to charge multiple devices other than the boat, consider buying a large-capacity product. 

You can opt for professional installation if offered by the brand or any other reputed company. But individuals who have the basics can do it all by themselves. However, you must make sure that all the relevant accessories are available at your convenience. 

Installation

The installation method is divided into three main stages. The first stage is to conduct an energy assessment. In this, you will determine the level of energy that your boat needs to function. Buy a panel that has a higher voltage than your requirements. This gives more room and flexibility to charge other devices. 

Check whether the solar panel can produce that level of energy. Once the capacity is determined, you can decide the exterior of your panels. In most cases, you choose between glass-fronted, polycarbonate, and fully flexible panels. 

What Are Care Requirements to Enhance the Life of Solar Panels for Boats? 

Caring for solar panels is essential as they are a long-term investment and should last accordingly.

Most solar panels are designed to last two to three decades. Caring for them is fairly simple but requires regular attention. All you have to do is keep them clean from dirt, leaves, and other obstructions. Solar panels from reputable brands always come with a warranty for a couple of years. 

Always get a professional repair from the brand in case of any damage. Even if your warranty has expired, we recommend taking your boat’s solar panels to a professional. They might cost a bit more than a local mechanic, but your panels get the treatment they require. 

Another factor to consider here is the useful life of your solar panel. This indicates that they will not be as effective as they age. The depreciation in their quality is slow and gradual. 

If your product has met the end of its useful life, it won’t stop working but will get more prone to damage. So instead of getting frustrated with why your solar panel for boats isn’t working properly, consider getting a replacement from the same brand or changing your product. 

Cleaning 

To clean a solar panel, use lukewarm water with a mild, non-acidic detergent and apply water pressure to remove any visible dirt and debris. Panels for boats are relatively smaller, so you won’t need a lot of supply. Clean any unwanted spots with a damp cloth and leave it to dry. Avoid applying water pressure on smaller models as they might not sustain the burden.

What Are the Properties of Charge Controllers for Solar Panels for Boats? 

Charge controllers are an essential component. They help protect your panels’ battery from damage. There are three main types of charge controllers available. 

Basic charge controllers 

They use pulse width modulation to encode transmission information allowing control of the power supplied to boats or other devices. These are simple chargers that come in at an affordable price range. A primary charge controller is designed to control batteries of smaller solar panels. They might not deliver desirable results if connected with a high-capacity panel. 

Mid-range charge controllers

These controllers also use pulse width modulation but feature an LCD display to indicate current charging levels. This helps the user keep track of the system and unplug the device when it’s ready to use. 

Max power charge controllers 

Designed for high-end and powerful solar panels, they are one of the most expensive charge controllers. You should only attach them to devices recommended by the brand itself. They also maximize the performance of panels. 

Conclusion 

Solar panels are a great way to maximize energy efficiency in your boat and create a durable backup. They are available in different sizes and capacities, so you can find a suitable fit for your boat. This article carefully reviewed the most in-demand solar panels for boats in 2023 that can make a difference in your overall experience. Besides the panel, you should also grab a top-notch charge controller that protects the device from damage and enhances its life.

People Also Asked

Yes, you can run a trolling motor with solar panels, but it is essential to opt for a device that has suitable capacity.

If the panel is according to the desired capacity of the boat, it might take 4 to 6 hours for a full charge.

Solar panels reduce carbon emissions and save money by reducing fuel costs. They also reduce the noise levels caused by a fuel-ignited engine.

Article Contributors

Sail magazine review team.

SAIL Magazine Review Team reports on best-selling products in sailing and boating. The SAIL Magazine editorial staff is not involved in the creation of this content. SAIL Magazine is reader-supported: When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. The SAIL Review Team is composed of authors, editors, and sailors. Artificial Intelligence (large language models) may have been used in the research and creation of the content.

To ensure questions about product testing or a specific article are addressed, please contact [email protected]

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• Open access
• Published: 12 March 2024

The first demonstration of entirely roll-to-roll fabricated perovskite solar cell modules under ambient room conditions

• Hasitha C. Weerasinghe 1   na1 ,
• Nasiruddin Macadam 2   na1 ,
• Jueng-Eun Kim   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-3826-9537 1 , 3   na1 ,
• Luke J. Sutherland 1 , 3 ,
• Dechan Angmo 1 ,
• Leonard W. T. Ng 1 , 2 , 4 ,
• Andrew D. Scully   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-3116-3067 1 ,
• Fiona Glenn 1 ,
• Regine Chantler   ORCID: orcid.org/0009-0000-7322-6121 1 ,
• Nathan L. Chang   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-2744-582X 5 ,
• Mohammad Dehghanimadvar   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-8160-5455 5 ,
• Lei Shi 5 , 6 ,
• Anita W. Y. Ho-Baillie   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-9849-4755 5 , 7 ,
• Renate Egan   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-8970-4703 5 ,
• Anthony S. R. Chesman   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-1807-4468 1 ,
• Mei Gao   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-0395-7006 1 ,
• Jacek J. Jasieniak   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-1608-6860 3 ,
• Tawfique Hasan   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-6250-7582 2 &
• Doojin Vak   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-7704-5563 1  

Nature Communications volume  15 , Article number:  1656 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

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• Chemical engineering
• Design, synthesis and processing
• Solar cells

The rapid development of organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite solar cells has resulted in laboratory-scale devices having power conversion efficiencies that are competitive with commercialised technologies. However, hybrid perovskite solar cells are yet to make an impact beyond the research community, with translation to large-area devices fabricated by industry-relevant manufacturing methods remaining a critical challenge. Here we report the first demonstration of hybrid perovskite solar cell modules, comprising serially-interconnected cells, produced entirely using industrial roll-to-roll printing tools under ambient room conditions. As part of this development, costly vacuum-deposited metal electrodes are replaced with printed carbon electrodes. A high-throughput experiment involving the analysis of batches of 1600 cells produced using 20 parameter combinations enabled rapid optimisation over a large parameter space. The optimised roll-to-roll fabricated hybrid perovskite solar cells show power conversion efficiencies of up to 15.5% for individual small-area cells and 11.0% for serially-interconnected cells in large-area modules. Based on the devices produced in this work, a cost of ~0.7 USD W −1 is predicted for a production rate of 1,000,000 m² per year in Australia, with potential for further significant cost reductions.

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High-speed sequential deposition of photoactive layers for organic solar cell manufacturing

Rui Sun, Tao Wang, … Jie Min

Scalable two-terminal all-perovskite tandem solar modules with a 19.1% efficiency

Bahram Abdollahi Nejand, David B. Ritzer, … Ulrich W. Paetzold

Introduction

Organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite solar cells (PeSCs) are a promising next-generation photovoltaic (PV) technology that has a demonstrated power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 26.1% 1 . Despite the record efficiencies being competitive with the market incumbent technology, crystalline Si PV with 26.8% PCE 1 , numerous challenges must be addressed for PeSCs to be realised in real-world applications. Foremost is the need to translate small-area lab-scale cells, which are often fabricated using materials or methods that are not economically viable or scalable, to large-area devices produced by high-volume, low-cost manufacturing methods. As shown by other solar PV technologies with high PCEs, such as inorganic multi-junction or GaAs cells, a failure to lower production costs will prevent PeSCs from making an impact in the marketplace 2 , 3 .

A key difference between PeSCs and conventional inorganic PV technologies is the potential for low-cost and low-energy manufacturing using solution-based industrial processes, such as spray 4 , 5 , 6 , blade 7 , 8 , 9 and slot-die (SD) coating 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 . Recent advances in large-area glass-based PeSCs have resulted in promising efficiencies of up to 25.8% 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 . However, these devices have been produced using discrete sheet-to-sheet processing, utilise vacuum-based evaporation steps, and employ subtractive laser-patterning to achieve interconnections for large-area modules. These requirements will add challenges in lowering the cost of large-scale production. In contrast, flexible PeSCs enable high-volume and high-throughput manufacturing using continuous roll-to-roll (R2R) manufacturing techniques 20 , 21 , 22 . The lightweight and physical flexibility of flexible PeSCs also offer the prospect of solar PV panels having high specific power (power-to-weight ratio), which is highly desirable for emerging applications, including space 3 , vehicle-integrated PV, and building-integrated PV 2 , 23 . However, the process of manufacturing PeSCs on a continuously-moving flexible plastic substrate imposes several technical challenges, particularly time and temperature processing limitations 24 .

Beyond advancing the manufacturing process, replacing the high-cost components in the solar cell architecture with cheaper alternatives while retaining comparable performance remains a persistent challenge. The highest cost component is the vacuum-processed Au electrode, followed by commercially produced transparent conductive electrodes (TCEs). Vacuum deposition is costly, and the nature of the process is unsuitable for use with a conventional R2R manufacturing line. There have been several reports of solution-processed back electrodes in glass-based devices 25 , 26 , 27 , but their processing involved a prolonged high-temperature step that is neither compatible with flexible plastic substrates nor suitable for R2R-based upscaling due to time constraints in the continuous process. Due to these technical challenges, the first example of a small-area PeSC (0.09 cm 2 active area) having all layers deposited on a flexible plastic substrate using R2R processes was only very recently reported (in February 2023) 28 with individual cells displaying PCEs of up to 10.8%. While the first report marked a significant milestone in the field, the efficiency was still far from that of typical research cells and only small cells were demonstrated.

Here we report the fabrication of entirely R2R-printed individual PeSCs with a record-high 15.5% PCE. We also report the first demonstration of PeSC modules produced using only industry-relevant R2R fabrication techniques, and under ambient room conditions. This was achieved by developing: (i) a robust and scalable deposition technique, (ii) perovskite-friendly carbon inks to replace vacuum-based electrodes, and (iii) a R2R-based high-throughput experimental platform as illustrated in Fig.  1a . The latter mimics manufacturing processes to produce and test thousands of research cells a day. This allowed the seamless translation from the miniature factory to the full-scale R2R fabrication of PeSC modules (~50 cm² active area) exhibiting up to 11% PCE. The future prospects of the printed PeSCs are evaluated by considering manufacturing costs for various production scenarios calculated using cost models based on the production methods and materials used in the present work, together with the resulting device efficiencies.

a A reliable SD coating process and a perovskite-friendly carbon ink are developed to enable vacuum-free perovskite PV production. The carbon ink is upscaled using a three-roll mill and used to optimise device parameters by fabricating and testing numerous research cells using an automated roll-to-roll research platform. b Schematic illustration of roll-to-roll production of modules using SD coating, reverse gravure (RG) coating and screen printing. c The detailed structure of the series connected module, which is fully roll-to-roll fabricated on commercially available transparent electrodes.

Control of perovskite crystallisation for upscaling

Although spin coating has been widely adopted to produce efficient PeSCs, the deposition and drying parameters are significantly different in R2R production. As such, it is necessary to initially develop processing conditions using R2R or R2R-compatible methods. The introduction of the printing-friendly sequential deposition (PFSD) technique by select co-authors of this work in 2017 13 enabled the demonstration of the first PeSCs comprising R2R-deposited electron-transport layer (ETL), light-absorbing layer, and hole-transport layer (HTL), with up to 11% PCE achieved for a small-area device. Since then we also developed more facile single-step deposition techniques via the introduction of various additives such as polymers, ammonium salts, and 2D organic cations together with heating and nitrogen blowing 12 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , and investigated R2R techniques reported by others 10 , 11 , 15 , 24 , 34 . Although it was possible to produce the perovskite layer in a single-step deposition, we found no approach that significantly outperforms PFSD for R2R-based upscaling.

The PFSD approach is described as ‘printing friendly’ due to its robustness and reliability under ambient conditions, and the absence of time-consuming processing steps. The key to PFSD is adding organic cations at a loading of less than 50 mol% of PbI 2 , far below the stoichiometric amount required to form perovskite crystals. This strategy retards crystallization and the precursor thin-film behaves like an amorphous material with much better film-forming properties than crystalline analogues. When additional organic cation is subsequently deposited, the reactive amorphous-phase film quickly converts to a perovskite without needing to remove the additive as it becomes a part of the perovskite. This allows the conversion to be completed on a time scale suitable for R2R processing.

Our further development of the PFSD method resulted in up to 17.9% PCE from R2R-fabricated PeSCs with vacuum-deposited Au electrodes, as discussed in Supplementary Note  2 . One significant innovation in the PFSD technique is the introduction of a shallow-angle blowing technique, (Fig.  2a ) as opposed to the conventional blowing technique applied at a right angle, used to fabricate high-quality perovskite films involving blowing gas across the substrate 35 . While effective at a laboratory scale, creating a highly uniform gas flow over a large area is challenging. The shallow-angle blowing on the edge of a roller is a simple but effective way to upscale this process, and the angle of incidence can be easily adjusted to levels that can approach zero degrees by simply changing the blower-head position. Utilising this approach, the SD-coated wet films are not deformed by an aggressive air flow before entering the well-defined solidification zone. This significantly reduces the amount of crystalline defects, and amorphous glassy films can be fabricated that are then converted instantly to a perovskite when the methyl ammonium iodide (MAI) solution is deposited, as shown in Supplementary Fig.  1 .

a Schematic illustration of the edge-blowing technique in the roll-to-roll process. b An image (reflection mode) of perovskite films after MAI deposition. The upper sample shows a face-blowing sample with a hazy surface and the lower sample shows an edge-blowing sample with a darker and more uniform surface. Inset shows the mirror-like perovskite film fabricated with the shallow-angle blowing. c XRD data of the perovskite films produced using the two blowing methods. (The large peak at 27° is PET and the peak at 10.4° is hydrated perovskite of the air-exposed sample.) Source data are provided with this paper.

Figure  2b shows the improved quality of the perovskite film fabricated with the edge-blowing technique. The inset photograph shows the flawless mirror-like perovskite film continuously fabricated under ambient conditions (40–50% relative humidity). X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis of the film does not indicate the presence of PbI 2 crystals, which would be evidence of ion migration followed by inhomogeneous local concentration in the solidification process. Shallow-angle blowing produced an intermediate layer that appeared to be amorphous or comprised of small enough grains that allowed for rapid and complete conversion to perovskite upon MAI deposition. Notably, this could not be examined directly as the reactive and unstable intermediate films continuously change upon exposure to air. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images in Supplementary Fig.  2 show more homogenous films with compact grains of the shallow-angle-blown sample compared to the right-angle-blown sample. The introduction of the shallow-angle blowing not only improved the quality of the perovskite and the reliability of device performance, but also enhanced humidity tolerance (as discussed later), making the PFSD approach a suitable technique for low-cost manufacturing.

Automated, ambient, and vacuum-free device fabrication

The discovery of R2R-printable electrodes for PeSCs has long been a critical challenge in the realisation of fully R2R-fabricated vacuum-free cells. To date, most R2R-fabricated PeSCs in the literature incorporate vacuum or batch-processed back electrodes. The first fully R2R-fabricated PeSC was reported recently using a printed carbon electrode, achieving a PCE of 10.8% 28 . The efficiency was significantly lower than vacuum-based counterparts, suggesting performance degradation caused by the carbon ink. Therefore, we developed perovskite-friendly carbon inks and trialled them alongside commercially available carbon pastes, as discussed in Supplementary Note  3 .

Replacing this vacuum process, which is not only costly but also time consuming, has the additional benefit of creating a new avenue for experimental optimisation. While such an approach improves throughput for conventional R2R systems with manual operation 36 , its full potential is realised with the development of a programmable R2R SD coater for unmanned operation, allowing for the fabrication of thousands of unique PeSCs daily. Manual characterisation of this many cells is not practical. We therefore developed an automated R2R tester to test over ten thousand solar cells a day. Device parameters were automatically calculated and saved online, permitting the analysis of thousands of solar cells in minutes, rather than hours or days. The custom-built R2R research tools are shown in Fig.  3a, b , and demonstrations of the system can be seen in the  Supplementary Information . Figure  3c shows the device layout and testing setup for the high-throughput testing of R2R-fabricated solar cells.

a The custom-built R2R SD coater used for the fabrication of thousands of unique solar cells in a day. b The custom-built automatic solar tester with a daily throughput of over 10,000 cells. c Schematic illustration of the automatic testing setup. d – h An example of a high-throughput R2R experiment to screen deposition parameters of the perovskite layer of PeSCs with a configuration: flexible TCE/SnO 2 /FA 0.45 MA 0.55 PbI 3 /PPDT2FBT/carbon electrode. Statistical ( d ) PCE, ( e ) J sc , ( f ) FF , and ( g ) open-circuit voltage ( V oc ) of 80 devices (along 44 cm substrate for each condition) for 20 different deposition parameter combinations of PbI 2 with 45 mol% FAI and MAI solutions. (centre line, median; diamond, mean; box limits, upper and lower quartiles; whiskers, 1.5× interquartile range; linecross, outliers) ( h ) PCE of 1600 consecutively fabricated PeSCs and deposition parameters along the position of the flexible film. Red dashed lines indicate the MAI amount that is nearest to the theoretical stoichiometric amount. The error bars in the box charts represent 1.5 times the interquartile range. Source data are provided with this paper.

This high-throughput experimental platform enabled us to explore the extensive fabrication parameters of vacuum-free PeSCs to rapidly identify the optimal conditions. Figure  3d–h show an example of the high-throughput R2R experiment, in this case being used to optimise deposition parameters for PbI 2 with 45 mol% formamidinium iodide (FA) and MAI solutions and to identify composition-dependant device parameters. Three PbI 2 conditions were selected to fabricate perovskite layers of about 600 nm to 1000 nm thickness. This range is somewhat thicker than typical vacuum-deposited electrode devices due to the absence of a mirror effect from the carbon-based back electrode. Also, a perfectly matched stoichiometry is not necessarily the best formulation in the FA 0.45 MA 0.55 PbI 3 system, as it can benefit from either a slight excess of lead 37 , 38 , 39 or a cation-excessive composition 40 . Therefore, the ability of SD coating to give quantitative control over the amount of material deposited allowed for the amount of MAI present in the perovskite layer to be varied from slightly cation deficient (lead-excessive composition) through to stoichiometric and slightly excessive compositions for each PbI 2 condition. The MAI-deposition flow rate was varied between 30 and 100 µL min −1 in 10 µL min −1 intervals. Figure  3h shows the deposition parameters together with the PCEs of 1600 consecutively fabricated PeSCs with 20 deposition parameters depending on the position along a 9 m-long substrate. The PeSCs were obtained in a roll form and the roll was transferred to the automatic R2R PV tester shown in Fig.  3b .

Figure  3d–h show statistical device parameters obtained from 80 cells for each condition. A thickness-tolerance hole transport material, poly[(2,5-bis(2-hexyldecyloxy)phenylene)-alt-(5,6-difluoro-4,7-di(thiophen-2-yl)benzo[c]-[1,2,5]thiadiazole)] (PPDT2FBT) 41 (further discussion on the material choice can be seen in Supplementary Note  3 ), which was used to screen carbon inks was used as an HTL in these devices. The devices with an MAI content close to the stoichiometric amount show better performance than others. The thinnest condition (16 µL min −1 ) shows the best performance at the stoichiometric amount and performance decreases rapidly with an excess of MAI or PbI 2 . Thicker films show more interesting behaviour; MAI-deficient films show better fill factor ( FF) with narrow performance variations, while films with excess MAI show higher short-circuit current ( J sc ). Most importantly, these results demonstrate the utility of the high-throughput experimental platform by identifying a composition-dependent performance trend in just one day.

A significant improvement in fully R2R-fabricated cells was achieved by introducing a new hole-transport layer (HTL) system. Poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) is a simple, widely used conjugated polymer with good light-harvesting and charge-transporting properties 42 that lends itself to low-cost mass production. While the polymer alone shows relatively poor performance as an HTL, it shows promising performance when combined with n -hexyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (HTAB) 43 , which passivates the surface traps of the perovskite layer and also provides anchoring points for the hexyl side chain of P3HT to self-assemble in the preferred molecular orientation. Despite such advantages, this HTL system has never been used with R2R-fabricated PeSCs, likely due to the technical difficulty of forming an ultra-thin HTAB skin on perovskite layers utilising a scalable deposition technique. The fabrication of the HTAB skin is achieved through delicate control of surface reactivity by adjusting the ratio of relatively nonpolar and less reactive chlorobenzene to 2-propanol solvents. A uniform P3HT layer was achieved by heating the substrate to 45 °C, which lowers the surface tension of the polymer solution and promotes the self-assembly of P3HT on the HTAB surface. Without substrate heating, P3HT formed poor films on HTAB intermittently, as shown in Fig.  4a .

a R2R SD-coated P3HT films on perovskite films with and without gentle heating of the coating stage. b Histograms of fully R2R-fabricated PeSCs with a configuration of flexible TCE/SnO 2 /FAI 0.45 MA 0.55 PbI 3 /HTAB-P3HT or PPDT2FBT/carbon electrode. c PCE, ( d ) J sc , ( e ) FF , ( f ) V oc , and ( g ) hysteresis factor (forward-scan PCE divided by reverse-scan PCE) of the 240 consecutively fabricated HTAB-P3HT-based devices. The devices were fabricated in uncontrolled ambient conditions on a high-humidity (~60% RH) day. ( h ) Current density-voltage (J-V) curves of vacuum-free PeSCs comparing two HTLs. Inset shows an SEM cross-section image of the device with printed carbon (marked in green). i Incident-photon-to-current efficiency (IPCE) spectrum and calculated current density of the device with HTAB-P3HT HTL and printed carbon electrode. The AM 1.5 G spectrum used to calculate the current is shown in grey. Source data are provided with this paper.

The HTAB-P3HT HTL clearly outperformed PPDT2FBT, as shown in Fig.  4b . The devices not only showed higher performance but also improved reliability, indicated by the narrower distribution in the histogram. All device parameters, including the hysteresis factor of the HTAB-P3HT-based devices, can be seen in Fig.  4c–g . The figures show the parameters of the unfiltered 240 cells that were consecutively fabricated using the automated R2R SD coater. The substrate consists of blocks of 40 electrodes, separated by a 2 cm gap which can be seen in the data. The experiment was carried out under uncontrolled ambient conditions on a day with high relative humidity (~60% RH), demonstrating the robustness of the manufacturing process. In general, while the best devices were obtained on days with low humidity (30-40% RH), reliable production of PeSCs with an average PCE of ~13% was confirmed, regardless of the humidity in the lab. The J-V curve and IPCE spectrum of the best-performing device are shown in Fig.  4h, i , respectively, with 15.5% PCE, 19.9 mA cm −2 J sc , 76.1% FF and 1.02 V V oc . The IPCE spectrum shows good agreement with a calculated current density of 19.4 mA cm −2 .

Transitioning from cells to modules

The optimised device fabrication parameters were used to produce large-area modules. Since all processes were developed by scalable deposition methods, modules could be fabricated in the same way using larger SD heads, as shown in Fig.  5a , and a 10 cm wide substrate with a pre-patterned TCE. The SD heads have five channels (a detailed structure can be seen in Supplementary Fig.  3 ), and hence the optimised flow rate was simply multiplied by five to produce five-cell modules. Supplementary Fig.  4 shows images of high-quality perovskite stripes produced continuously using the R2R SD coating method. The HTAB and P3HT layers were also deposited at a flow rate five times higher than the optimised flow rate for single-stripe coating.

a Image showing the deposition of the perovskite layer using a 5-channel SD coater. The deposition of non-stoichiometric perovskite precursor solution, blow-drying, and the conversion to perovskite by SD coating the MAI solution were carried out in one coating run. b Image showing the RG-coated carbon film on the TCE/ETL/perovskite/HTL stack. c Image of the R2R-screen-printed perovskite PV modules. An industrial off-the-shelf screen printer was used for this production. Inset shows the capacity of the machine. The photo was taken when the printer was used to produce 30 cm × 500 m organic PV modules. d Current-voltage curves of a R2R produced module. Inset shows a schematic illustration of the module structure. e Record efficiencies of various perovskite solar cells. Details can be seen in Supplementary Table  1 . Source data are provided with this paper.

For the R2R-deposited electrode, the carbon ink was deposited using the reverse gravure (RG) technique 44 . The modules were completed by R2R screen printing a silver paste on the carbon film using an industrial R2R screen printer, shown in Fig.  5c and Supplementary Fig.  5 . The printed silver was used to form charge-collection grids and interconnect the 5 individual cells, as illustrated in the inset of Fig.  5d . It was crucial to incorporate additional conductive elements alongside the carbon layer, which had a sheet resistance of approximately 800Ω sq −1 . Supplementary Fig.  11 illustrates that cells without a grid design exhibited significantly poorer performance compared to those with grids. Nonetheless, excessively covering the screen-printed silver led to a decline in performance, most likely due to solvent damage to the underlying layers. Consequently, we designed the silver pattern to achieve minimal coverage while maintaining adequate conductivity, at least surpassing that of the front electrode, for efficient charge collection. We determined that a 0.2 mm line with a 180 mesh screen provided the finest pattern that we could consistently print onto the carbon surface, and this parameter was adopted for the module.

The interconnection of cells was formed through gaps between the stripe patterns at the same time as the grid. The active area is 49.5 cm 2 (1.1 cm × 9 cm × 5 cells) and the geometric fill factor (GFF), as defined as the cell area over total area (cell area + gap area) 45 of the modules, is 75%. The GFF is somewhat lower than that of laser scribed modules with a demonstrated GFF of up to 99% 46 due to the inherent limitation of the stripe-pattern approach. However, it’s worth noting that the laser scribing process may not be suitable for the high-throughput, cost-effective manufacturing of PeSCs. Therefore, our next challenge lies in developing modules with higher GFFs and larger areas while continuing to enhance cell efficiencies through scalable processes.

The entirely R2R-fabricated modules demonstrated up to 11.0% active-area-based PCE with 192 mA current output, 62.3% FF and 4.59 V V oc in a reverse scan and 9.96% PCE in a forward scan. This efficiency is lower than the small cells, likely due to the loss of FF caused by the high resistance of the TCE and partial solvent damage incurred during the screen-printing process. Nonetheless, this report marks a significant milestone in the development of fully R2R-fabricated PeSCs.

The efficiencies obtained in this work are compared with the previous records of various PeSCs, as summarised in Fig.  5e and detailed in Supplementary Table  1 . Flexible PeSCs have always shown inferior performance compared to their glass-based counterparts due to the intrinsic performance limitation of the flexible TCEs. Therefore, batch-processed flexible PeSCs are a more suitable benchmark for R2R PeSCs as they share the same intrinsic properties. While the performances of R2R devices still trail those of batch-processed analogues, this work demonstrates significant progress towards achieving high-efficiency flexible devices. Considering the low-cost nature and the scalability of the R2R-printed carbon electrode, achieving over 15% PCE represents a major milestone in the development of this technology. Through market surveys and considering advantages in the form factor, we established that R2R PeSCs could become competitive in the portable PV market at >10% PCE 47 . Therefore, the demonstration of an 11% R2R-fabricated module is a significant step forward in commercialising this technology. However, the printed silver used in this work may not be suitable for long-term operation for commercial applications due to the corrosion issue. The next challenge would be developing a perovskite-friendly conductive carbon ink that is at least as conductive as TCEs to produce efficient silver-free PeSC modules.

Towards ultra-low-cost manufacturing

This work aimed to develop low-cost manufacturing technologies for PeSCs. Therefore, we developed a cost model based on our previous work 47 which implemented the new materials, processes and device configurations used in this work, as shown in Fig.  6a . Further details of the cost model can be seen in Supplementary Note  4 . In addition to the demonstrated devices, a model device architecture (Sequence C) is also considered to predict the potential for further cost reduction by eliminating the remaining high-cost components, i.e., commercial TCEs and silver grids.

a Device configurations used for the analysis. Sequence (seq.) A: high-cost and high-performance option, seq. B: fully R2R-fabricated device, and seq. C: ultra-low-cost printing option to be pursued. Cost breakdown for ( b ) seq. A and ( c ) seq. B. Projected production costs of the modules ( d ) per module area and ( e ) per peak watt for all three sequences based on 17.9%, 15.5%, and 10% PCE, respectively.

Figure  6b, c show the cost fraction of each functional layer and corresponding capital costs for sequences A and B. For the vacuum-deposited electrode (Seq. A), a combination of the gold material and the equipment purchase and running costs of a R2R evaporator, is the highest cost component, followed by the commercial TCE. Other significant material costs include the encapsulation materials and the HTL whilst the costs of the ETL and perovskite are negligible in comparison. The fully printed configuration, Seq. B, shown in Fig.  6c , shows a significant reduction in the back electrode cost, resulting in only two high-cost components; the commercial TCE, and the encapsulation material.

Figure  6d, e show the production cost of encapsulated flexible perovskite solar modules per unit area (m²) and peak power (W p ), respectively. The best (not average) efficiencies obtained in this work are used for Seq. A (17.9%) and B (15.5%) to calculate $ Wp −1 . Since Seq. C is not experimentally demonstrated here, we have considered it with our highest recorded efficiency to date, achieved for a HTL-free and vacuum-free device (10%), as the most optimistic scenario. The figures clearly show the cost benefits of the carbon-electrode-based devices for both area and power-related cost metrics. The cost for Seq. B is likely to be lower than 1 USD W −1 , and Seq. C could be lower than 0.5 USD W −1 . These represent a significant reduction to the cost estimate from previous works of around 1.5 USD W −1 47 . This results from a similar or lower cost in $ m −2 , and a higher recorded efficiency. However, the technology is still not able to compete with mass-produced silicon solar cells, for which module spot prices have been lower than 0.30 USD W −1 48 . Despite this, opportunities may exist in niche markets that value the lightweight and flexible nature of these modules, as discussed in our previous work 47 . The next step for the technology would be exploring high-value PV markets at the predicted manufacturing costs while addressing the remaining high-cost components to sustainably advance the technology towards commercialisation. Supplementary Fig.  12 , with about 5 USD m −2 module cost (excluding encapsulation), shows the potential for the further cost reduction by eliminating the remaining high-cost components.

In conclusion, we have successfully addressed the key challenges for low-cost roll-to-roll production of large-area perovskite solar modules and demonstrated the world-first fully roll-to-roll-fabricated perovskite solar modules (including back electrodes) on a commercial substrate. A perovskite-friendly carbon ink was developed to replace vacuum-processed metal electrodes, the highest-cost component in perovskite solar cells. This enabled the high-throughput, vacuum-free fabrication of perovskite solar cells using only roll-to-roll processes. Automated roll-to-roll fabrication and testing systems were developed to take full advantage of high-throughput fabrication, allowing thousands of research cells to be fabricated and tested in a single day to rapidly improve roll-to-roll experimentation. Further optimisation of the process and device configuration enabled fully roll-to-roll fabricated perovskite solar cells with up to 15.5% PCE, which represents the record efficiency for fully roll-to-roll fabricated perovskite solar cells to date. All developments in this work were performed with due consideration to upscaling, leading to the first demonstration of fully roll-to-roll printed perovskite solar modules with up to 11% PCE based on the active area of the module ~50 cm². Finally, the cost model developed in this work predicts the projected manufacturing cost of modules likely to be ~0.7 USD W p −1 with the potential for substantial further reduction via replacing remaining high-cost components with low-cost alternatives. This work demonstrates significant progress of the perovskite solar technology towards low-cost at-scale commercial manufacturing.

Materials for the preparation of flexible solar cells, lead(II) iodide (99.9985%) and tin(IV) oxide (15 wt% in H 2 O colloidal dispersion) were purchased from Alfa Aesar. MAI (99.99%), FAI (99.99%) and n-hexyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (HTAB) were purchased from Greatcell Solar Materials. Commercially available TCE substrates with a sheet resistance of 8 Ω sq −1 (OPV8) were sourced from MekoPrint. Hole-transport materials poly[(2,5-bis(2-hexyldecyloxy)phenylene)-alt-(5,6-difluoro-4,7-di(thiophen-2-yl)benzo[c]-[1,2,5]thiadiazole)] (PPDT2FBT), poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT, Lisicon SP001) and 2,2’,7,7’-tetrakis(N,N-di-p-methoxyphenylamino)−9,9’-spirobifluorene (Spiro-MeOTAD) were purchased from 1-Materials, Merck and Luminescence Technology Corp. (Lumtec), respectively. FK209 was purchased from Lumtec. Silver paste (PV416) was purchased from DuPont. All other chemicals, including 4-tert-butylpyridine (t-BP), bis(trifluoromethane)sulfonimide lithium salt (LiNTf 2 ), dichlorobenzene (99%), anhydrous N,N-dimethylformamide (99.8%), and anhydrous 2-propanol (99.5%), and acetonitrile were sourced from Sigma-Aldrich and used as received.

Ink Preparation for R2R coatings

To prepare stock solutions for reverse gravure (RG) coating, a mixture of 10 mL of a 15 wt.% solution of tin(IV) oxide and 5 mL of deionised water was used without any additives. The stock solution could be used for several RG coating trials over a few weeks. For SD coating, stock solutions were prepared by mixing 5 ml of the 15 wt% solution, 10 ml of deionised water and 15 µl of acetic acid. For the perovskite layer, a fresh PbI 2 :FAI solution was prepared by dissolving 1.1 mmol (507 mg) PbI 2 and 0.45 mol% (0.5 mmol, 0.85 mg) FAI per 1 ml of anhydrous N,N-dimethylformamide in a nitrogen-filled glove box, and stirred at 70 °C for approximately 1 h. The solution was cooled to ambient temperature before transferring to a SD head. The MAI solution for the second step of the deposition was made by stirring 40 mg of MAI per 1 ml of anhydrous 2-propanol for 10 min at ambient temperature. 1.0 mM of HTAB solution was prepared in a mixed solvent (chlorobenzene:isopropanol = 9:1 v/v%). The PPDT2FBT and P3HT HTM solutions were prepared by dissolving 10 mg of PPDT2FBT per 1 ml of dichlorobenzene and 5 mg of P3HT in 1 mL of dichlorobenzene, respectively. Polymers without any dopants were dissolved by stirring at 70 °C for more than 1 h. The Spiro-OMeTAD solution was prepared by mixing 6.0 × 10 −5 mol Spiro-OMeTAD (73 mg), 2.0 × 10 −4 mol t-BP (28.8 μL), 2.0 × 10 −4 mol LiNTf 2 (17 μL of 520 mg mL −1 solution in CH 3 CN), and 1.6 × 10 −6 mol FK209 (8 μL of 300 mg mL −1 solution in CH 3 CN) in 1 mL chlorobenzene.

Carbon ink preparation

For the formulation of the SD ink, ethyl cellulose (EC, Sigma-Aldrich, 200646, viscosity 4 cP, 5% in toluene/ethanol) was used as the binder. A 1:1 mixture of carbon black (Vulcan XC72, Cabot) and graphene nanoplatelet powder (CamGraph G3, Cambridge Nanosystems) was used as the conductive carbon pigment. Propylene glycol methyl ether acetate (PGMEA) was used as the solvent. Due to the low viscosity of the desired SD ink, the ink preparation method was separated into two stages. In the initial stage, a high-viscosity ink was produced, which can be processed with a three-roll mill, breaking down pigment agglomerates into primary particles. For a 500 g ink batch, 40 g of EC was mixed in 330 g of PGMEA, stirred until the binder dissolved completely (Supplementary Fig.  9a ). Later, 100 g of the solution was reserved for use in the second stage. The remaining 270 g of solution was mixed with 130 g of conductive carbon pigment to form a slurry (Supplementary Fig.  9b ). This mixture was then processed through a three-roll mill, resulting in a uniform high viscosity ink (Supplementary Fig.  9c ). In the second stage, the high viscosity ink was diluted to produce an ink that can be used for SD coating. The remaining 100 g of EC/PGMEA was hand-mixed with the high-viscosity ink and stirred with a magnetic stir bar until a uniform ink was obtained.

Small-area cell fabrication

Functional layers were coated under ambient conditions on a benchtop R2R coater (Mini-Labo™, Yasui-Seiki) installed in a fume cabinet. A thin layer of SnO 2 ETL layer was coated on the flexible TCE substrate as received using the 10 Wt.% stock solution using reverse-gravure (RG) coating method at 4 rpm RG roll (200 R roll) speed, 0.25 m min −1 line speed and a coating width of 13 mm. The wet film was found to dry immediately and was subsequently moved to a > 135 °C curved hot plate for about 30 s, with hot air blowing at 120 °C for about 30 s.

The PET/TCE/SnO 2 film then underwent R2R IR treatment (2–3 W cm −2 ) for about 5 min using an industrial R2R screen printer (Orthotec SRN3030). The film was then installed back onto the Mini-Labo coater for coating of the perovskite layer. The PbI 2 :FAI solution was then SD coated (20 µL min −1 flow rate, 0.3 m min −1 web speed, 13 mm coating width) onto the SnO 2 film and the continuously moving wet film was then subjected to a flow of nitrogen using a 10 cm-wide air blade installed at the edge of supporting roller about 10 cm behind the coating head and 1–2 cm above the substrate. The N 2 flow rate was adjusted to about 50–100 L min −1 to form a dried intermediate PbI 2 :FAI layer. The MAI solution was then SD coated on the dried intermediate layer with the 60 µL min −1 solution. Solvent evaporation was promoted by gentle air blowing using a small fan placed approximately 20 cm behind of the MAI coating head. The film was then passed over a hot plate at 135 °C for about 10 s. The PET/TCE/SnO 2 /Perovskite film was then rewound and the HTAB and the P3HT solutions were deposited sequentially via SD coating at 0.3 m min −1 line speed, first coating the HTAB layer (15 µL min −1 flow rate, 7 mm coating width) followed by an annealing step on a curved hotplate at 100 °C for 30 s and then coating the P3HT layer (10 µL min −1 flow rate, 6 mm coating width) by placing the SD head immediately above the second curved hotplate at 45 ± 5 °C. Finally, the carbon electrode was SD coated onto the P3HT layer using the PGMEA-based carbon ink by placing the SD head immediately above the curved hotplate at 70 °C (120 µL min −1 flow rate and 5 mm coating width) to remove the solvents on the wet film completely, before an additional annealing step on the second curved hotplate at 130 °C. All R2R-processed devices were tested both with and without the additional screen-printed silver grid. The silver grid was screen printed using a semi-auto screen printer (Keywell KY-600FH) with 180 mesh screen onto the top carbon electrode and was annealed at 130 °C for 30 s on a hot plate.

For automatic fabrications, a thin SnO 2 ETL layer was prepared by SD coating of the 5 wt% solution (65 µL min −1 , 13 mm coating width) with an acetic acid additive at 0.2 m min −1 . (See Supplementary Note  1 for further details) The film was dried with hot air (135 °C for 5 min) and hot plate (135 °C for 1 min) using the commercial coater and then the film was IR treated as described above. 100 m length rolls are typically prepared and a batch of film could be used for multiple experiments over weeks. For other layers, the custom-built R2R machine shown in Fig.  3a was used. The same SD heads used in the commercial R2R coater were used in the custom-built machine. Therefore, all coating parameters were interchangeable between the two machines. However, a smaller air blade (13 mm width) with a lower flow rate (~20 L m −1 ) was used for the nitrogen blowing. Besides the blowing condition, various coating parameters for PbI 2 and MAI solutions described in the main text were trialled with the automatic fabrication setup. For the fabrication of HTAB, P3HT, PPDT2FBT and carbon layers, the coating conditions described above were used in the custom-built machine. Once coating is complete, the roll at the winder was moved to the unwinder so that no rewinding was necessary. The two-step deposition for the perovskite layer was performed in a single pass and the HTAB/P3HT were also deposited in a single pass. So, the fabrication required total four coating runs (ETL, perovskite, HTL and carbon) and was typically completed within a day. The same-design SD heads could be used for all the layers. They were typically cleaned after full disassembly by wiping the remaining inks, followed by ultrasonication in the solvent used in each ink for 5 min and drying by nitrogen blowing. The sonication and drying steps were repeated two more times, and the cleaning typically took 20 min. The tubing was used only once and disposed, except for the SD set for carbon layer (including tube, syringe and the ink), which was kept without disassembly in a sealed bag and used for multiple batches over months.

Serially connected module fabrication

Functional layers were coated under ambient conditions on a benchtop R2R coater (Mini-Labo™, Yasui-Seiki) installed in a fume cabinet. All R2R-processed PeSC modules comprising five series-connected strip cells were fabricated on a stripe-patterned (13 mm stripes with 2 mm gap between stripes) commercial TCE. The module has the same configuration as the small cells, i.e., PET/TCE/SnO 2 FA 0.45 MA 0.55 PbI 3 /HTAB/P3HT/Carbon/Ag. The SnO 2 ETL layer was deposited by RG coating in the same way as the small cells (200 R roll, 4 rpm, and 0.25 m min −1 line speed) but with a roller with 5 stripes. The coating width was the same width as the TCE pattern so that the stripes were made with 0.5–1 mm of offset with respect to the patterned TCEs to achieve exposed TCE for series connections.

The remaining layers up to the carbon electrode were coated using the coating methods (SD coating head having five channels to deposit five 13 mm-wide wet coating stripes), line speeds, and the annealing conditions illustrated in the previous section. Flow rates used for the coating of 5 stripes using the PbI 2 :FAI, MAI, HTAB, P3HT and carbon inks were 100, 300, 140, 92, and 600 µL min −1 , respectively. The P3HT layer was deposited on a custom-built curved hot plate fitted with a heating tape (shown in Supplementary Fig.  4b ) at 45 ± 5 °C. A screen-printed grid using a commercially available Ag ink was used to enhance the charge collection of the module and to interconnect the 5 cells in series. Screen printing was performed on an Orthotec-2 R2R screen printing system. The screen-printed Ag grid was dried using IR irradiance (1.5–2 W cm −2 ) and hot air (90 °C). The active area of each strip cell was typically ~10 cm 2 (width: ~1.1 cm determined by manually controlled offset and length: 9.0 cm) resulting in an active module area of ~50 cm 2 . The fabrication of R2R modules typically took two days and required two researchers.

Characterisation methods

Manual J-V measurements were undertaken using a solar simulator (Newport Oriel) in air without encapsulation. The solar simulator was calibrated to 1-sun (1000 W m −2 ) AM 1.5 G illumination using a certified Si reference cell with KG-1 filter (Enlitech, certified by Enlitech in accordance with IEC 60904-1:2006, spectral mismatch factor with carbon-based cells: 0.92) and a source metre (Keithley 2400). Devices were typically kept in air or a dry box for long-term storage before the measurement. A shadow mask was used to define a cell active area of 0.08 cm 2 for small cells. Modules were tested without a shadow mask. J-V measurements were carried out in the forward (increasing forward bias) and reverse (decreasing forward bias) scan directions over the voltage range from −0.2 V to 1.2 V with 20 mV step for cells (~250 mV s −1 ) and −0.2 V to 5 V with 200 mV step (~1 V s −1 ) for modules, respectively. For automatic J-V testing, a class AAA solar simulator (Enlitech SS-F5-3A) was used after calibration using the same reference cell. A secondary reference cell provided by Enlitech was also used to regularly check the light intensity. For the automatic testing, a circular aperture (1.8 mm diameter, Thorlabs) was used to define the beam size of 0.025 cm 2 which was illuminated on about 0.2 cm 2 cells defined by the coating width of carbon electrodes and the TCE pattern. The small aperture was deliberately chosen to tolerate the positioning error of the roll-to-roll tester. The PeSCs fabricated in the custom-built R2R coater were collected as a roll. The roll was then mounted on the R2R tester by positioning it on the winder of the tester and then rewound to get the starting point of the coating experiment. It is critical to set the position of the first cell under the aperture. A 2 cm gap in the TCE pattern was used to recalibrate the first cell position of every 20 cm block of 40 stripes by checking conductivity through the spring pins. The automatic testing was typically performed in air, but the data in Fig.  4c–g was obtained in a nitrogen-filled box. IPCE measurements were carried out using a commercial IPCE setup (Peccel S20). XRD patterns were obtained using a Rigaku SmartLab, equipped with a rotating anode CuKα source (45 kV, 200 mA), and Hypix 3000 detector. The SEM images of the films were taken with a Zeiss Merlin field emission SEM. A Hewlett-Packard 8453 diode-array spectrophotometer was used for optical density measurements. Time-resolved photoluminescence measurements were performed using a time-correlated single-photon counting (TCSPC) luminescence spectrometer (Edindburgh Instruments Ltd., FLSP920) comprising a pulsed diode laser excitation source (466 nm, 100 kHz, ~100 ps FWHM, ~0.2 nJ cm −2 pulse −1 ) and a Hamamatsu R928P photomultiplier tube detector, giving an overall instrument response time of ~0.7 ns (FWHM). Photoelectron Spectroscopy in Air (PESA) measurements were performed using a Riken Kekei AC2 spectrometer.

Reporting summary

Further information on research design is available in the  Nature Portfolio Reporting Summary linked to this article.

Data availability

The experimental data that support the findings of this study are available in Figshare with the identifier: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.24502210 .

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Acknowledgements

This work was funded predominantly by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) (grant no. 2017/RND012). This work was also supported by the Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics (ACAP) programme funded by the Australian Government through ARENA, the Australian Research Council Center of Excellence in Exciton Science (grant no. CE170100026), Australia-India Strategic Research Fund (AISRF) (grant no. AISRF75426), L.W.T.N. acknowledges a Nanyang Technological University (NTU) College of Engineering International Postdoctoral Fellowship. The authors acknowledge the assistance received from Dr Aaron Seeber with the analysis and interpretation of XRD results and CSIRO Manufacturing’s Materials Characterisation and Modelling (MCM) team for SEM.

Author information

These authors contributed equally: Hasitha C. Weerasinghe, Nasiruddin Macadam, Jueng-Eun Kim.

Authors and Affiliations

Flexible Electronics Laboratory, CSIRO Manufacturing, Clayton, VIC, 3168, Australia

Hasitha C. Weerasinghe, Jueng-Eun Kim, Luke J. Sutherland, Dechan Angmo, Leonard W. T. Ng, Andrew D. Scully, Fiona Glenn, Regine Chantler, Anthony S. R. Chesman, Mei Gao & Doojin Vak

Cambridge Graphene Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB3 0FA, UK

Nasiruddin Macadam, Leonard W. T. Ng & Tawfique Hasan

Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia

Jueng-Eun Kim, Luke J. Sutherland & Jacek J. Jasieniak

School of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), 50 Nanyang Ave, Block N4.1, Singapore, 639798, Singapore

Leonard W. T. Ng

School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia

Nathan L. Chang, Mohammad Dehghanimadvar, Lei Shi, Anita W. Y. Ho-Baillie & Renate Egan

Foshan Xianhu Laboratory of the Advanced Energy Science and Technology Guangdong Laboratory, Foshan, China

Sydney Nano and School of Physics, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia

Anita W. Y. Ho-Baillie

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Contributions

H.C.W., N.M., and J.-E. K. contributed equally. H.C.W., J.-E.K., L.Sutherland, D.A., F.G. and D.V. fabricated cells and modules. N.M., L.W.T.N. and T.H. developed printable carbon pastes. D.V. developed automatic fabrication and testing system. A.S., L.Shi, A.W.Y.H.-B and A.S.R.C. performed characterisation of films and devices. N.C., M.D., R.E., R.C. and D.V. developed cost models and performed cost calculations. A.S.R.C., M.G., J.J.J., T. H. and D. V. coordinated and supervised this work.

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Correspondence to Jacek J. Jasieniak , Tawfique Hasan or Doojin Vak .

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Weerasinghe, H.C., Macadam, N., Kim, JE. et al. The first demonstration of entirely roll-to-roll fabricated perovskite solar cell modules under ambient room conditions. Nat Commun 15 , 1656 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-46016-1

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-46016-1

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