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Naive question: is solar + battery feasible for shipping?

• hliyan 6y ago
  Water offers a lot more friction than air and requires a lot more energy to push a ship through than can be generated even if we cover the entire ship surface with panels. Of course, it can offset some of the energy requirements. The ship can be made wider to accommodate more panels, but that in turn increases the contact between water and hull, increasing friction. If we extend the panels over the hull, wing-like, the ship will be unstable under the windy conditions often found at sea.