These are the solar panels used on the SAUV II. They are discontinued now. Looks like you can get comparable ones for around $400 now.
More on the BP585 Solar panels. They are listed for around $500 a piece.
Found the below information here
The BP-585 is made with 36 of BP Solar's high efficiency laser-grooved buried-grid (LGBG) cells, with an efficiency of conversion of light to electricity of almost 17%, compare to an industry average of between 12.5% and 15%. These are the highest efficiency solar cells available in volume commercial production today. The increase in electrical efficiency is achieved by using a laser to cut a fine grid, deep into the body of a silicon wafer, rather than employing the usual silk-screen process, to print a grid of metallic paste upon the wafer surface, which usually obscures some 10% of the wafer's active surface area. They fill these grooves with conducting metal, by an electro-plating process. Because the grid is buried deep within the silicon, the collection of electrons is enhanced. This, combined with the fact that the grid takes up very little surface area of the cell, raises the electrical efficiency to some 17%. Modules assembled from LGBG cells, are produced at BP Solar's manufacturing plant in Madrid. They provide an output of up to 90 watts from a conventionally-sized 36 cell configuration. In addition to their class-leading high efficiency (which is particularly valuable where roof-space is restricted) LGBG modules deliver greater power per kW installed than rival products, by prolonging the daylight hours over which useful power can be generated. The BP-585's high efficiency translates into cost savings on mounting structures, especially on trackers. The new, larger, hinged junction box with built-in bypass diodes features a cage clamp mechanism to reduce wiring time and ensure secure connections with bare wire. Each module comes with two waterproof cable clamps, so no special module interconnects are required. The face of the module is tempered, high light transmission glass and the rear is a triple lamination of PVF, polyester and PVF. Includes bypass diodes.
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del.icio.usThe SAUV II is the second generation Solar Autonomous Underwater Vehicles from the joint work of Falmouth Scientific, Inc., Autonomous Undersea Systems Institute and Technology Systems Inc. and some Navy involvement.
It is a pretty impressive craft. It says you can buy them from Falmouth Scientific...wonder what the cost would be? Looks expensive and hi-end.
It uses Slackware (score one for open source) and PC104 boards as brains. Wonder if there is a cheaper solution...might be pretty cheap already as far as brain power/cost goes.
The sensors and communications pieces are probably the most expensive bits. The price for some of the satellite GPS Argos-based trackers seems to be $2-5k....
some of the details: (from http://www.ausi.org/publications/JalbertEtal2003.pdf) or here
Fiberglass body
Wing with solar panels made with syntactic foam.
(2) BP 585 Solar Panels (Maximum power (Pmax): 85W, Voltage at Pmax (Vmp): 18.0V, Current at Pmax (lmp): 4.72A -- Panel weight: 13.4 pounds)
Total Vehicle: Length = 78" Width = 47”
Pressure tube: Length = 46” ID = 8” OD = 9”
Weight in air: 370 lbs
Buoyancy (net) = 2 lbs
Max operating depth = 500 meters
Speed: 0.75 to 3 knots
Endurance: week to months
Energy source: Li-Ion battery (2kWh) with Solar
Panel charging at sea and Gas Gauge monitoring
of battery system.
Communications:
Iridium Satellite phone
FreeWave radio modem
Acoustic modem
Navigation: GPS with Dead Reckoning
Thruster: Vectored thruster
It is a pretty impressive craft. It says you can buy them from Falmouth Scientific...wonder what the cost would be? Looks expensive and hi-end.
It uses Slackware (score one for open source) and PC104 boards as brains. Wonder if there is a cheaper solution...might be pretty cheap already as far as brain power/cost goes.
The sensors and communications pieces are probably the most expensive bits. The price for some of the satellite GPS Argos-based trackers seems to be $2-5k....
some of the details: (from http://www.ausi.org/publications/JalbertEtal2003.pdf) or here
Fiberglass body
Wing with solar panels made with syntactic foam.
(2) BP 585 Solar Panels (Maximum power (Pmax): 85W, Voltage at Pmax (Vmp): 18.0V, Current at Pmax (lmp): 4.72A -- Panel weight: 13.4 pounds)
Total Vehicle: Length = 78" Width = 47”
Pressure tube: Length = 46” ID = 8” OD = 9”
Weight in air: 370 lbs
Buoyancy (net) = 2 lbs
Max operating depth = 500 meters
Speed: 0.75 to 3 knots
Endurance: week to months
Energy source: Li-Ion battery (2kWh) with Solar
Panel charging at sea and Gas Gauge monitoring
of battery system.
Communications:
Iridium Satellite phone
FreeWave radio modem
Acoustic modem
Navigation: GPS with Dead Reckoning
Thruster: Vectored thruster