Solar Panels Feature On Norfolk And Suffolk Boatbuilders’ Eco-boat

Members of the Norfolk and Suffolk Boatbuilders Association have developed an eco-boat with the aim to develop boating on the Broads as a sustainable tourism activity. There are now are a wider range of sustainable technologies available to boatbuilders and the association hopes that it will encourage other members to adopt the new technologies when building boats. The Association has used solar panels, low wash hulls and more recently has been looking at the use of biofuel to power their eco boats.

The most recent development is the design of a cruiser for the hire market which uses the best low-carbon technologies to make the lowest possible impact on the environment while touring around the Broads. Following the establishment of the Sustainable Development Fund in 2002, research surrounding alternative technologies was carried out by Newcastle University and the results allowed a local naval architect to design a 30 foot 2 to 4 berth motor cruiser with a has minimal impact on its surroundings. The boat features a hull design which produces minimal wash and a highly efficient electric drive system powered by batteries and backed up by bio-diesel; it is hoped that this will be replaced by hydrogen cells as the technology develops. Solar panels feature on the roof of the cabin to power all the energy efficient domestic appliances within alongside rainwater collection and ‘grey water’ recycling devices, the hull has been constructed from recyclable materials and all the internal furnishings have been recycled or reclaimed.

The aim is that the eco boats will expand the current fleet of boats available to hire across Norfolk and Suffolk and increase the profile and popularity of boating holidays. It is also hoped that it will help various boating holiday providers to achieve the Green Mark – and award which has been developed especially for boats including eco-friendly design, energy efficiency, waste management and providing ‘green’ information for hirers.

The development of this eco boat will mean that tourists will be able to travel around The Broads in Norfolk and Suffolk while using renewable fuel and solar panels to generate their electricity. Solar panels in Suffolk have become a recurring trend across the towns in the county as they bid to become the greenest county in the country so it is quite apt that while sat on a leisurely sunny afternoon by the riverbank, local residents and visitors will be able to see solar panels floating past on the water too.

By: Paul Smart

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Paul Smart writes on behalf of Solar East Anglia a company based in East Anglia who install solar panels in Suffolk and the surrounding areas. He comes warmly recommended when looking to install solar panels