Supersizing solar power

摘要

With the depletion and increasing cost of traditional fossil fuels, solar energy is a promising alternative technology for the shipping industry. Solar power not only has the potential to reduce the cost of energy spent by current ships but also improve ships' navigability, particularly in the open sea where there is a large amount of solar energy readily available.The surface of solar panels that a cargo ship requires in order to capture the solar energy necessary for its operation must be six to eight times larger than the surface of the ship's hull. This will ensure the ship can navigate autonomously during the day and night at the same speed today's cargo ships sail. Therefore, a solar energy system is needed that allows solar panels to be placed beyond the ship's own surface area.