The 7th Monaco Solar & Energy Boat Challenge went remote due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Técnico Solar Boat team won the innovation prize and stood out among the eleven participating teams.

The challenge launched by the organisation of the Monaco Solar & Energy Boat Challenge was based on three fundamental concepts of the competition: technological innovation, sustainable engineering, and team spirit. The Técnico team participated in the three categories and was the unique team competing with two prototypes: a solar-powered boat and a hydrogen-powered boat.

“About a year ago, our team decided to embrace the challenge proposed by the organisation: to build, alongside the solar prototype, a hydrogen-powered boat. Today, a year later, we consider that we are one step closer to fulfill the challenge”, adds João Novo, the team leader. “This online competition allowed us to test the concepts, but we still have to test our final product”, stresses João Novo.

The 11 participating teams had to go through a process of presentations and brainstorming, which allowed the Técnico team to present, for example, the production of green hydrogen and fuel cell, the monocoque construction (for the hydrogen-powered boat) with more sustainable materials, and the hydrofoil control system of solar-powered boat, as well as its battery management system.

“This is an extraordinary and very important result. Several teams and companies from different countries, such as the Netherlands, Indonesia, and Poland participated in this competition”, stresses the team leader.

“I am profoundly proud of our team and our achievements, despite the difficulties we face. I know that this group of future engineers will go further and will represent Técnico and Portugal to the highest level”, adds João Novo.

The team will embrace a new adventure this summer: the “Odisseia TSB”. Técnico Solar Boat will travel the country, from north to south. “It will be a great opportunity to demonstrate all the work we developed, make our project known and share our passion for renewable energy and engineering”, says the team leader.