Praxis solar technology now powers luxury motor yachts

Praxis Solar Technology’s nano-composite solar skin was pioneered more than a decade before solar-integrated surfaces became an industry talking point. Its intellectual property was first filed in 2008, the product of 18 years of research, and the technology now powers yachts built by Riviera, Grand Banks and Palm Beach.

Unlike a conventional rigid panel, bolted on top as an afterthought, the nano-composite skin can be laminated into a hull, hardtop or deck at the mould stage, becoming structural and load-bearing, or fitted as a retrofit. At less than 2mm thick and up to 85% lighter than a rigid rooftop panel, it is walkable and can be moulded across complex curves.

Praxis, and Riviera one of the world’s largest yacht builders, began working together several years ago to build solar generation into its yachts without altering their design. The solar skin is now engineered into every Riviera hardtop at the design stage, with retrofit available to existing owners. Riviera has tracked a 75% reduction in diesel generator use, with some owners anchoring off-grid for up to three days.

Mark Richards, chief executive and chief designer of Grand Banks and Palm Beach, has led Grand Banks Marine Group’s switch to Praxis solar technology across both ranges.

Praxis’s nano-composite material conforms to horizontal and vertical geometry, unlike rigid, fixed-format panels, turning hardtops, decks and superstructures into solar-capturing surfaces without disrupting a yacht’s silhouette. Because the platform is cell-agnostic, it is built to absorb future advances in solar cell chemistry without redesign, meaning systems specified on yachts today should become more capable as the technology improves.