Sunreef's solar-power system is the marine market's first composite integrated photovoltaic technology. This is a fancy way of describing solar panels that are incorporated into a yacht's curved surfaces.The Sunreef solar panels are designed and built by the company's in-house photovoltaic laboratory, using third-party solar cells that are up to 25 percent efficient. They are built ultra-thin and flexible and can be flush-mounted. Critically, they don't use glass. These essential features allow the builder to make the panels integral to a yacht's hull, mast and superstructure, even when complex geometry is involved. "It took us a lot of time and effort to get to the results we enjoy today and actually seamlessly implement solar panels [into] the yacht's design," says Nicolas Lapp, Sunreef's research-and-development strategist. "Another challenge was to make sure [the] panels can be smoothly removed in case any maintenance or repair is needed."
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