According to Kyocera Corporation, it is supplying solar modules for panels that are manufactured by Toyota and intended for use in the recreational boating sector. The panels will allow a boat's batteries to remain charged during long periods of inactivity while docked, and they will also provide power for on-board appliances and electronic devices.
Kyocera pointed out that its solar modules have already been used on the Toyota Prius, which uses a small photovoltaic panel to generate power for the vehicle's interior functions.
Solar panels have also been used to provide energy for at least one large shipping vessel in the Pacific Ocean. Elsewhere in the world, a team of Swiss researchers is working to fly a solar-powered plane around the world in 2012.
Despite the growing use of solar energy technology in transportation, it will continue to be seen as particularly effective for generating electricity. This is especially the case as increasingly efficient photovoltaic products continue to hit the market at affordable prices for homeowners.
