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https://www.seazen.fr/en/blog/44-eco-conception-de-bateau-solaire
Eco design of solar powered boat
Solar navigation allows us to exceed 90% decarbonization, avoid underwater noise pollution and produce a 70% recyclable boat Responsible boating does exist, and here's why.
Life cycle assessment - LCA
It all starts with Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). This universal method is gradually being deployed in the marine industry, with the European Boating Industry (EBI) launching a European LCA project on April 16, 2024.
With the help of the Solar Impulse Foundation, SeaZen carried out its first LCA in March 2022. Even under the most conservative assumptions, solar navigation avoids over 90% of CO2 emissions, over the entire boat life cycle.
The LCA of the solar boat demonstrates a relative gain of 92% of CO2 equivalent
This LCA was carried out with a very conservative approach given the imprecision of certain data. For example, the production valuation could not take into account all the data. Taking the worst-case scenario for the analysis, only the production footprint of the solar boat, the "Solution", is estimated. The mainstream alternative is valued at zero.
Zero impact?
Let's continue with some very concrete indicators that correspond to the main nuisances generally cited in connection with boating. Solar navigation proudly scores zero everywhere!
Zero CO2 emitted
A solar boat is first and foremost an electric boat, so it emits no CO2.
Zero fuel emissions
As the boat is electric, it has no fuel tank, which eliminates the risk of hydrocarbon pollution.
Zero noise pollution
According to the French Ministry of the Sea, underwater noise generates stress throughout the food chain.
A solar boat is particularly quiet not only because the electric motor is not noisy, but also and above all because the lifestyle associated with slow sailing generates less noise from the propeller and from flows on the hull.
According to the French Ministry of the Sea, noise pollution has an impact on the entire food chain
Zero consumption
The same goes for consumption: zero everywhere!
Electricity
Depending on the country, the production of electricity needed to charge the batteries of an electric motor emits more or less CO2. A solar boat simply avoids consuming electricity from the national grid.
Fresh water
In times of drought some ports prohibit the use of fresh water for cleaning boats. The use of cork for decking is adapted to this new constraint, which is likely to recur more and more often.
Paper
The sincerity of a responsible commitment is revealed in the smallest details. For example, 100% of reservations are made online. This avoids the need to print out pages for each new rental contract.
Recyclable boat?
Fiberglass is not recyclable, even though it accounts for almost 80% of the mass of most traditionally designed boats. Good practice aims to favor recyclable materials and avoid all superfluous material.
More than 70% recyclable
SeaZen has succeeded in replacing fiberglass with aluminum and cork at over 70%. We're starting to be able to talk about a recyclable boat!
| Non-recyclable | Recyclable | Carbon sink |
| Fiberglass | Aluminum | Cork |
| Less than 20% | More than 70% | More than 5% |
Composition of a SeaZen solar boat
More than 300 kg of material avoided
The cumulative experience of more than 3 generations of solar boats has enabled us to gradually eliminate unnecessary material. The efficiency of solar navigation considerably reduces the use of batteries and electric cables. The cork deck avoids the use of synthetic materials. And here's the result:
| Battery | Plastic | Copper |
| 230 kg | 80 kg | 10 kg |
320 kg of material avoided
Article date:
08/11/24
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