Minimalists will be happy with a modest capture surface
A few hundred watts may be all they need. Just enough to keep butter, dairy products, a liter of fresh water, and sometimes a pain au chocolat and a chocolatine (but not on the same shelf). And then there's LED lighting, navigation electronics and even the autopilot.
Lovers of photovoltaic comfort will appreciate the larger
For example: 3900 watts of solar panels installed on the roof of a power-cat. Some mooring neighbors will be astonished by the size of the installation, wondering whether it's really wise to go to such lengths.
"What do you need such a capacity for?
" With only 600 watts, we have everything! ". And to explain, with forceful arguments, the immensity of their satisfaction at being content with the well-being of their thirties. Cold dishes and showers, no ice cubes for the aperitif communion, lights out at 6:30 p.m. to save electricity and the need to start the noisy, smoky fuel-powered generator to run the watermaker when the sky is overcast.
Old saying that hasn't aged a day (or a laugh): "Too much has never been too little"
With a large solar farm, you have a lot of room to maneuver. It also means you can make do with a smaller battery bank. Consumption is adjusted to production, which doesn't turn out to be very restrictive in practice. And, above all, by proceeding in this way, overall efficiency will be optimum if the large consumersâeurosen are used in the middle of the day. Between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., the water heaters are switched on, along with the water maker, washing machine and coffee machine. At lunchtime, we'll switch off the water heaters in favor of the induction hobs, then the ice-maker. Batteries will be fully charged, ready to power fridges and freezers throughout the night, before the arrival of light the following day...
A solar installation must be well designed and sized
It has to be able to cope with average daily consumption, even when sunshine levels are low. Obviously, the best way to do this is to have a generous solar park and a battery bank that's no less generous. And depending on the climate, it may be necessary to supplement the supply with wind power. Installing a powerful alternator on the propulsion engine is also a precaution that allows you to do without a generator at all.
All this is not universal, alas
In the tropics, everything's fine. In the UK, for example, it's more difficult. Whereas on my wonderful island of Saint Pierre et Miquelon, it will be essential to reconsider the whole installation with great care, taking into account the local climatology, which has little in common with the tropics...
