For roughly the last ten years, UK Sailmakers of Mandelieu, France has been developing Uni-Titanium sails, in which thin sheets of uni-directional carbon films are laminated into the sail. They are now partnering with the Solar Cloth Company of the UK to develop a main sail incorporating high efficiency flexible solar cells. The solar energy would be transported by an integrated flexible circuit through the sail’s luff and then to the foot of the mast . A small electronic controller would be installed inside the boat to control the battery charging.  The boat’s dodger or a flexible boom tent could provide power while at anchor.

The Solar Cloth Company is a UK venture which is developing thin, lightweight and flexible solar panels that can be deployed like cloth on non-load bearing roofs.  The firm is focusing on installing their “solar cloth” on the roofs of car parks, supermarkets and warehouses and has raised more than £771,850 in crowd-sourced funding to expand their operations.

At this point, carbon fiber photovoltaic sails are probably beyond the budget of most sailors.  Nevertheless, at the rate at which solar cells have been falling in price, they may be in our future.