Significant progress has been made in the technology of cells integrated into photovoltaic panels, with the emergence of solutions such as PERC panels, organic photovoltaic cells (OPV) and bifacial panels, each offering advantages for installation on a pleasure craft. What are these advances, and on which boats can they be found?

PERC panels

PERC (Passivated Emitter and Rear Cell) panels contain improved photovoltaic cells with a dielectric passivation layer at the rear.

This layer reflects unabsorbed light back to the cells, providing a second chance for absorption while capturing infrared light. It also reduces heat generation, improving efficiency. These panels are available with monocrystalline or polycrystalline cells, and the monocrystalline split-cell versions achieve efficiencies of around 23%. They are particularly well-suited to installations with medium orientations, and therefore to pleasure craft that are in motion, sailing or at anchor.

Most of the framed photovoltaic panels currently on the market and used in pleasure craft use this technology.

Organic photovoltaic cells (OPV)

OPV cells use organic materials, such as carbon-based polymers, to convert solar energy into electricity. These cells are printed onto a substrate, which can be a film or any other material.

Although their current efficiency is lower (8-10%), their ability to be printed on flexible substrates opens up a wide range of applications, particularly where flexibility and lightness are essential.

The photovoltaic sails made by the French company Héole use this OPV technology.

Bifacial panels

Bifacial panels capture sunlight from both sides, significantly increasing the potential for energy production. They exploit both direct sunlight and reflected light.

In this case, the colour of the background is very important to maximise the reflection effects. Albedo is a physical value that indicates the amount of incident sunlight reflected by a surface.

In the presence of white gelcoat on pleasure craft, as in the mountains with snow, albedo is important, as is reflection, which benefits the rear cells.

The rear side produces a few % more output, a useful energy supplement when the surface area of panels that can be installed is limited, as on a boat.

Their efficiency can reach 25%.

The new Fountaine-Pajot Thira 80 is equipped with such panels (illustration at the beginning of the article).