In 2016, we decided that the technology was ready and the time was right to build the UK’s first exclusively solar powered electric widebeam. Combining our shared twin passions for life on the water and renewable energy, we started Thames Solar Electric from our base in south west London.

Our aim is to build completely sustainable, carbon-neutral, live-aboard house boats. Now that we have managed to get 90% of our propulsion and electrical energy from the sun, we have almost completely negated the need to burn fossil fuels. However, this relies on your boat laying in a south facing position and still won’t allow you to cruise throughout the winter.

A great question, and one which we are asked a lot!

The big question that every one ponders at some point when deciding what type of river boat to buy…

Although we were the first, several others have followed our lead, which is great as we believe that this will speed up the conversion of our waterways from fossil fuel to green energy.