Electric boatbuilder Silent Yachts is opening a luxury resort in Fiji powered entirely by solar energy
Silent Resorts – the exclusive partner of solar electric boatbuilder Silent Yachts, is building off the early success of its first fully-sustainable residences and intends to bring a new solar-powered resort to the island nation of Fiji. These exclusive residences are being erected to promote sustainability and exploration while offering some income opportunities for the exclusive members who buy in.
Silent Resorts is a relatively new entity spun out of a sustainable boatbuilding company that remains relatively nascent in its own right. Silent Yachts is the result of nearly two decades worth of research and development from its cofounders who, combined, have sailed over 75,000 nautical miles around the world.
We’ve followed the Austrian boatbuilder as its solar electric-catamarans got bigger and have gone further at sea. We’ve also seen newer products that have gotten smaller recently, like Silent Yachts’ all-electric tender.
Our coverage of the company led us down to Fort Lauderdale, where we got to climb aboard the SILENT-60 and take a solar electric voyage for ourselves. About a month prior to that, the boatbuilding branch announced Silent Resorts had joined the Silent Group with plans for a solar-powered paradise in the Bahamas.
The initial resort features 16 solar powered, four-bedroom residences and 8 Silent yachts that not only help power the resort, but also offer a place for residents to stay off-shore. While construction is underway in the Bahamas, Silent Resorts is already working to open a second tropical solar haven in Fiji. Check out these hyper-realistic renderings.
Silent’s next solar-powered resort to open in 2025
According to an update from the company today, construction is well underway at the aforementioned solar resort in the Bahamas and is expected to be completed in early 2024. The company shared that the first “Silent Marina” is now complete and is home to the first SILENT-55 solar-electric catamaran, ready for use by guests.
When the Bahamas residences are completed next year, Silent Resorts intends to add a SILENT-62 Tri-Deck yacht for its guests. Similar to the success Silent Resorts found in the Bahamas, it is offering 24 exclusive “Founding Memberships” that offer special incentives and the opportunity to income.
The second solar-powered Silent Resort will begin construction later this year on a private-island sanctuary in the Fijian archipelago and eventually offer the following options to guests:
- 28 four-, five- or six-bedroom Silent Estate Residences
- 14 two-bedroom Silent Marina Residences
- 10 two-bedroom Silent Beach Club Residences,
- Exclusive access to a fleet of solar-electric powered tenders, speed boats, and catamarans to explore Fiji’s natural surroundings.
Everyone who purchases at Silent Resorts Fiji has the opportunity to apply for Fijian residency, enabling them to stay as long as they want. Additionally, the solar resort company promises to manage each owner’s residence to others for passive income if desired. Silent Resorts head Victor Barrett spoke to the upcoming resort and next steps:
After considering numerous possible locations, we are delighted to be finalizing the approval process for our latest location in Fiji. When we officially announce the location in the next month or so, we will also offer exclusive stays at the existing facilities for those interested in learning more firsthand about Silent Resorts Fiji. With its beautiful, untouched natural surroundings on both land and sea, and the incredible and welcoming hospitality of the Fijian people, this is the perfect base for us to create our next 100% solar-powered luxury adventure destination, what we like to call ‘radical sustainability.’ Through our innovative ownership options, our mission is to make island residence and luxury yacht ownership more affordable and accessible.
Once the official site is confirmed, Silent Resorts will look to begin construction in Fiji, beginning with the beach club and marina. The Bahamas location should open well before then, in early 2024. Here’s a glimpse of the site of that solar-powered resort.
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Electricity demand is surging in Texas, and solar, wind, and battery storage are meeting it.
According to new data from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), electricity demand across the Texas grid managed by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) hit record highs in the first nine months of 2025. ERCOT, which supplies power to about 90% of the state, saw demand jump 5% year-over-year to 372 terawatt hours (TWh) – a 23% increase since 2021. No other major US grid has grown faster over the past year.
Solar and wind keep ERCOT’s grid steady
The biggest growth story in Texas power generation is solar. Utility-scale solar plants produced 45 TWh from January through September, up 50% from 2024 and nearly four times what they generated in 2021 (11 TWh). Wind power also continued to climb, producing 87 TWh through September – a 4% increase from last year and 36% more than in 2021.
Together, wind and solar supplied 36% of ERCOT’s total electricity over those nine months. Solar, in particular, has transformed Texas’s daytime energy mix. From June to September, ERCOT solar farms generated an average of 24 gigawatts (GW) between noon and 1 pm – double the midday output from 2023. That growth has pushed down natural gas use at midday from 50% of the mix in 2023 to 37% this year.
Battery storage is filling in the gaps
Batteries charge during the day when wind and solar generation are the highest, and they produce electricity when generation from wind and solar slows down. ERCOT began reporting battery output separately in October 2024 in its hourly grid data, and it’s clear that batteries are now helping to smooth out evening peaks. This past summer, batteries supplied an average of 4 GW of power around 8 pm, right as solar production dropped off.
Natural gas is flatlining
Natural gas is still Texas’s dominant power source, but it isn’t growing like it used to. Between January and September, gas-fired plants generated 158 TWh of electricity, compared to 161 TWh in 2023. Gas comprised 43% of ERCOT’s generation mix during the first nine months of 2025, down from 47% in the first nine months of 2023 and 2024.
More demand growth ahead
The EIA expects Texas electricity demand to keep rising faster than any other grid in the US. In its latest Short-Term Energy Outlook, the EIA projects ERCOT’s demand will climb another 14% in the first nine months of 2026, reaching 425 TWh. That means Texas will need even more solar, wind, and battery storage to keep up with its breakneck growth.
Read more: This $900 million solar farm in Texas is going 100% to data centers
The 30% federal solar tax credit is ending this year. If you’ve ever considered going solar, now’s the time to act. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
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GM is recalling nearly 23,000 Chevy Equinox EV and Cadillac Optiq models due to a defect where the tire tread could fall off.
GM is recalling more Chevy Equinox EV models
In a letter sent to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), GM said it has decided to issue a safety recall for certain Chevy Equinox EV and Cadillac Optiq models from model years 2025 to 2026.
This time, it isn’t necessarily GM’s fault. The vehicles may be equipped with 21″ all-season tires that Continental Tire is recalling.
According to Continental, the tires were produced during the week of October 6, 2024, and may have a defect where the tire tread could partially or fully detach. The records show the defect is due to a nonconforming tread base rubber compound.
Owners of affected vehicles may notice unusual tread wear or bulging, vibration while driving, or tire noises. GM is unaware of any incidents related to the defect, but is issuing the recall out of an abundance of caution.
On September 18, 2025, GM inspected the assembly plant and confirmed there were no suspect tires in stock. The 21″ tires come standard on RS trims and are optional on LT1 and LT2 grades.
Although GM is recalling 22,914 Chevy Equinox EVs and Cadillac Optiqs, it estimates that only about 1% of them have the defect.
The recall includes:
- 2026 Cadillac Optiq: 214
- 2026 Chevy Equinox EV: 1,832
- 2025 Cadillac Optiq: 3,468
- 2025 Chevy Equinox EV: 17,400
GM dealers will check all four tires and replace them if needed, free of charge. Dealers were notified on October 16. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed out on December 1, 2025.
You can contact Chevrolet’s customer service number at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac’s at 1-800-333-4223. GM’s recall number is N252525030. Owners can also call the NHTSA hotline at 1-888-327-4236 or visit the nhtsa.gov website for more information.
The Chevy Equinox EV is now the third best-selling EV in the US, trailing only the Tesla Model Y and Model 3. Meanwhile, Cadillac’s entry-level Optiq SUV is the fifth-most-popular luxury EV. The recall is minor and only affects a small percentage of models, so it’s not expected to have a major impact.
If you want to test one of them for yourself, we can help you get started. Check out our links below to find available Chevy Equinox EV and Cadillac Optiq models near you.
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In the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss Tesla’s earnings madness, Rivian layoffs, Ford pausing F-150 Lightning, and more.
The show is live every Friday at 4 p.m. ET on Electrek’s YouTube channel.
As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.
After the show ends at around 5 p.m. ET, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:
We now have a Patreon if you want to help us avoid more ads and invest more in our content. We have some awesome gifts for our Patreons and more coming.
Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the podcast:
Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 4:00 p.m. ET (or the video after 5 p.m. ET:
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