For its 7th edition of the Monaco Solar & Energy Boat Challenge, the Yacht Club de Monaco went online with the event with virtual presentations made to the jury and an online prize-giving ceremony on July 8, 2020.
Sustainability was at the core of the project from the SBM Offshore E-Racing Team, in terms of the lifecycle of the cockpit, the use of different materials, as well as the propulsion system, which comprises standard components that can all be reused.
Reuse and recycling requirements
It was the second time the team entered the Challenge and they opted for hydrogen propulsion using components that meet reuse and recycling requirements in a hi-tech context. The cockpit is made of aluminium while more than half the mass of its structural components are easy to re-use or re-employ.
The cockpit is made of aluminium while more than half the mass of its structural components is easy
Accepting the award for SBM Offshore was Francesco Prazzo, Risk and Compliance Manager and E-Racing Team Leader: “I am deeply honoured to receive this award on behalf of the SBM E-Racing Team and I would like to express sincere thanks to the Yacht Club de Monaco, the jury and to the team who competed with ambition and an entrepreneurial spirit."
He adds, "At SBM Offshore we are committed to the energy transition. This challenge is a unique opportunity to unleash the power of creativity and we are very proud that our work can contribute to the knowledge and innovation for yachting of tomorrow.”
Innovative solutions
The jury commented on the quality of all the teams and why SBM E-Racing won the Eco-Conception Prize: “It is incredible to see the innovative solutions by all the teams that will help to reduce our impact on the environment and footprint within yachting, to protect and preserve the ocean and surrounding eco-systems. The SBM E-Racing team clearly demonstrated the potential and cost-effective solutions through methods such as reusing, recycling and upcycling materials."
The jury statement adds, "In their quest to find new renewable energy solutions, they designed a prototype floating system that can produce hydrogen from seawater using solar and wind power, ideas that aroused the Jury’s curiosity, to clinch the Eco Conception Prize ahead of the eight other contestants.”
