Design a portable, deployable solar energy system for modern yachts and catamarans. The core challenge: deck space on marine vessels is limited, but energy demand for off-grid living keeps growing. The solution needed to generate power without cluttering the deck.

Industrial Designer, Product Designer & Illustrator. Responsible for concept development, form exploration, 3D modeling, and photorealistic visualization.

Tools used: Autodesk Fusion 360, Adobe Photoshop

Traditional marine solar panels are rigid, heavy, and permanently mounted on deck. They compete for space with sails, rigging, and living areas. For sailors and liveaboards who need more power, the only option has been to sacrifice deck real estate or settle for undersized panels.

HELIOS-FLOAT takes a different approach: use the water surface itself as the mounting platform.

The system consists of lightweight, high-efficiency solar pads built into inflatable marine-grade enclosures. When anchored, the pads deploy onto the water surface alongside the vessel, harvesting energy from an area that would otherwise go unused. When it's time to sail, they deflate and stow into compact lockers.

Scalable architecture — Add or remove pads to match your energy needs. A weekend cruiser and a full-time liveaboard can use the same system at different scales.

Compact storage — Deflates into a fraction of its deployed size, fitting into standard marine lockers.

Dual function — The inflated pads double as a stable floating platform, adding utility beyond power generation.

Marine durability — Built with materials rated for salt, UV exposure, and ocean swells.

HELIOS-FLOAT demonstrates how industrial design thinking can bridge the gap between renewable energy technology and marine leisure. The concept is designed with real-world manufacturing constraints in mind, targeting inflatable construction methods already proven in the marine industry.