Chasing the sun – students compete in Europe’s only solar-powered boat race

Engineering students construct and race solar-driven boat in the Netherlands - News

By Naomi Weston
Monday 23 June 2008

A solar powered boat constructed by a group of mechanical engineering undergraduates from Imperial College London competes in Europe’s only solar-powered boat race today.

The team of students will race against 49 teams from eight different countries in the Frisian Solar Challenge. The competition takes place in the Netherlands and covers 200km over six days.

Aimed at encouraging new applications of solar energy, the Challenge requires each team to build solar-powered boats suitable for racing in all weather conditions.

Solar Spirit is made of glass fibre and will be powered by five solar panels

The Imperial team is one of only two UK teams to enter the international race and has designed, built and tested the boat, named Solar Spirit, as part of the students’ third year project.

Project Supervisor, Dr Shaun Crofton, from Imperial’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, said: “This competition is a great example of Imperial students applying their knowledge to a practical real life project. Hopefully Solar Spirit will be the first of a long line of such boats and challenges for our undergraduates.”

Solar Spirit is made of glass fibre and will be powered by five solar panels which drive an electric outboard motor. The motor will be run on lead-acid batteries which are economical and practical, maximising cost efficiency and creating a power storage system that is within the competition’s storage capacity and weight limits.

The team has also worked closely with the Imperial College Boat Club to improve their knowledge of how boats are built and fitted.

Team leader Oliver Fairbairn, says: “We are confident that, even with bad weather conditions, we will be well placed to be serious contenders for a podium finish but we will wait to see how our competitors have advanced and what innovations teams have brought to the challenge.”

The current team took over from last year’s students, who designed and began to build the boat. This year’s team has worked on the electrical system, the fixings for the solar panels and last minute extras including fire extinguishers and life jackets.

Dr Shaun Crofton adds: “The group of students who inherited the design of this solar powered boat have worked incredibly hard to get it ready for its first serious outing. Hopefully our boat will be as competitive as our students, who I know will have a great time meeting the other nationalities and impressing them with their language skills and nautical prowess.”

Imperial’s Department of Mechanical Engineering has sponsored the team along with others including Torqeedo, which has supplied the team with an electric motor, Brandenburg UK Ltd, who have provided financial backing and Bright Green Energy which is providing solar panel connectors.

The team members this year are: Oliver Fairbairn (team leader), Oliver Burrell (treasurer), Colin Goh (secretary), Olakunle Olalere, Christopher Hampsheir and Hock Boon Ong, all from the Department of Mechanical Engineering.

For more information on Solar Spirit, please visit www.solarspirit.co.uk. The Frisian Solar Challenge is held biennially. For more information please visit the website: www.frisiansolarchallenge.com