Monaco Solar & Energy Boat Challenge: this is what an eco-friendly race looks like

Monaco Solar & Energy Boat Challenge: this is what an eco-friendly race looks like

Who participates in the Monaco event Solar & Energy Boat Challenge?

Participating in the race 34 boat prototypedeveloped by aspiring young engineers, together with professionals in the field of yacht building.

Ashore, industry representatives will showcase their innovative designs for everyone to see (free admission) and discuss the latest developments in yachting propulsion at various conferences organized. Anyone can take a walk through the exhibition, see prototypes and watch the races in real time on a giant screen.

Monaco Solar & Energy Boat Challenge Race, whose goals are extremely relevant today, was first held in 2014 yacht club of Monaco in partnership with The International Aquatics Federation (UIM) and the Prince Albert II Foundation of Monaco.

In a week university students and specialists in the yachting industry participate in an international competition, the purpose of which is to develop alternatives to fossil fuel engines, exclusively based on renewable energy sources... And also to draw the attention of the general public to this topic, and find like-minded people. Absolutely any initiative and ingenuity is welcome, whether it concerns energy sources or design improvements, if this is in line with the philosophy of the event.

Monaco Solar & Energy Boat Challenge

Monaco Solar & Energy Boat Challenge

Monaco Solar & Energy Boat Challenge

The race involves boats in three classes: Solar, Energy, Offshore

On July 4, the first competitions begin: slalom, endurance, speed and match races, which can be watched on the main wall Port hercule v Monte Carlo... The competition involves about 300 participants, and 34 teams representing 14 countries.

In the Solar class all competing boats are powered by solar energy only. Dutch team Solar boat twente introduced a new solution by developing a propeller that improves the efficiency of their 35% propulsion system over a conventional propeller. There are at least 19 teams in this category this year, mostly from Northern Europe (11 from the Netherlands), as well as two Mediterranean teams (Italy and Portugal)

Energy class the participants were required to design a propulsion system using a renewable energy source of their choice, but all teams are limited to operate with a specific amount of energy. One of the highly anticipated projects is the Monaco racing team SBM OFFSHORE E Racing Teamthat works with hydrogen to power a fuel cell - a hybrid system that uses heat from a fuel cell to optimize a battery that reaches the record 80% efficiency. Energy class, opened only in 2018, has already shown great success and scored 7 teams, including one from the French University of the Arts in Provence (Arts et Métiers ParisTech), one of three French teams participating in this category.

Declared participants in class Offshore will have to cover the offshore distance from the Principality of Monaco to Ventimiglia, Italy. Dutch TU Delft (Delft University of Technology) has built a modular solar-powered wing trimaran to optimize the performance of their boat based on the weather conditions at sea. A total of 7 teams participate in this class, two of which are Italian, one from the Polytechnic University of Milan and the other developed by Anvera for the first time in the race.

Monaco Solar & Energy Boat Challenge

Monaco Solar & Energy Boat Challenge

Objectives and motivation of the organizers of the Monaco Solar & Energy Boat Challenge

Within the framework of Monaco Solar & Energy Boat Challenge, yacht club of Monaco and its partners intend to play a role in the search for innovative solutions to the energy and environmental challenges of the 21st century, the main goal of which is to work towards a cleaner water transport sector.

The racing town showcases innovative technologies in the field of alternative energy from 10 companies operating in the maritime sector. Most of them are already on the market and are proof that the sustainable yachting industry is committed to taking environmental sustainability seriously.

Monaco Solar & Energy Boat Challenge

03.07.2019