There are solar panels, and then there are solar panels specifically designed and manufactured for use in a marine environment. Among the latter are the new SunPower flexible solar panels from SunPower Corp., featuring the company’s proprietary Maxeon technology, a cell architecture optimized to perform better in both cloudy weather and partial shade—what is in many ways the Achilles heel of solar panels afloat. Available in a 50-watt configuration (measuring 25in x 22in) or a 100-watt configuration (measuring 46in x 22in) the panels are flexible up to 30 degrees, compatible with both 12V and 24V batteries and are manufactured in-house by SunPower, as opposed to being outsourced to a third-party fabricator. (SunPower says it currently has more than 32 million panels deployed both ashore and afloat worldwide.) The panels come with a 5-year guarantee and include a set of grommets for easy temporary attachment.
From $135. SunPower, sunpoweredyachts.com; sunpower.com
