I ask because I kind of wonder if small submarines could be powered by sunlight with surfacing.
I think it would be great seeing single-occupant submersibles made commercially available that could be powered by light reaching them within the euphotic zone.
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Sunlight doesn’t penetrate water very far and would deliver very limited recoverable energy.
http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/light_travel.html
Sunlight entering the water may travel about 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) into the ocean under the right conditions, but there is rarely any significant light beyond 200 meters (656 feet).
The ocean is divided into three zones based on depth and light level. The upper 200 meters (656 feet) of the ocean is called the euphotic, or “sunlight,” zone. This zone contains the vast majority of commercial fisheries and is home to many protected marine mammals and sea turtles.
Only a small amount of light penetrates beyond this depth.
The zone between 200 meters (656 feet) and 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) is usually referred to as the “twilight” zone, but is officially the dysphotic zone. In this zone, the intensity of light rapidly dissipates as depth increases. Such a miniscule amount of light penetrates beyond a depth of 200 meters that photosynthesis is no longer possible.
The aphotic, or “midnight,” zone exists in depths below 1,000 meters (3,280 feet). Sunlight does not penetrate to these depths and the zone is bathed in darkness.
Solar light do not penetrate very deep in water, therefore the efficiency of any solar panel would be extremely low. This means bigger panels, and extra cost.
Moreover, even if I cannot give you a precise estimate of the power consumption of a submarine, it is likely to be much higher than a car. And solar cars are, at the moment, quite unpractical.
They would need huge solar panels.
Look here to find out how large are the panels for an electric car:
http://www.smartgridelectronics.com/2010/09/solar-cars.html