It was as part of Monaco Ocean Week that the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and Yacht Club de Monaco, officially announced a new prize for the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge.
That marks a new milestone in their partnership and was attended by Mike Horn and Bertrand Piccard, the event’s sponsor. Under the aegis of the collective Monaco, Capital of Advanced Yachting approach and organised by YCM, this event brings maritime industry pioneers together with visionary engineers around a common goal: to promote alternative propulsion and sustainability in the yachting sector. On the programme, a unique convergence of boats already on or about to enter the market and innovative prototypes. “Every year, students surpass themselves. They are an amazing source of ideas. It is fascinating to see their potential and we are happy to put them in contact with industry players who are a great support for these young engineers,” says YCM General Secretary Bernard d’Alessandri.
Reward and support for the most innovative university projects
The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, an active Monaco Energy Boat Challenge partner, is adding another dimension to the partnership in launching the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation Sustainable Yachting Technology Award. The contest is open to universities anywhere in the world and on 6th July will reward the best technological solution that is applicable to yachting in terms of energy efficiency and/or carbon reduction.
“We are pleased to initiate this prize to help finance the development of a university’s department with a grant of €25,000. We hope to encourage the winner to go further with its applied research and who knows maybe help those prototypes progress towards a more industrial solution,” explains Olivier Wenden, Vice-President of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation. Once the grant has been awarded, the winner will be able to present progress on their project at the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge for three years starting in 2025.
Line-up for 11th edition taking shape
Entrants to the Solar Class have just confirmed their presence at the11th Monaco Energy Boat Challenge, with 15 teams and 13 nations set to go head to head in this historic category that has supported the event since its launch in 2014. A few weeks before, contestants in the Energy Class finalised their registrations, representing 20 renowned universities. Among these prestigious institutions is the University of Cambridge, the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, the Politecnico di Milano and Technical University of Berlin to name a few, with 14 nations represented including Canada, Croatia, Peru, Chile and China. All have a chance to meet well-known shipyards like Monaco Marine, Oceanco, Ferretti Group and Sanlorenzo.
Hydrogen boom
Perceived by many as one of the key new power sources in the energy transition to a cleaner more sustainable future, hydrogen ticks the boxes of a range of energy needs. As an energy carrier, hydrogen offers a promising alternative to fossil fuels as it can be produced from renewable sources like solar and wind or via the natural gas decarbonisation process. Several contestants have opted for this solution.
Of the 21 teams in the Energy Class using electric propulsion, nearly 50% of projects (ten) will be presenting hybrid technologies based on hydrogen, while the other 11 are choosing to store 100% of the energy in Lithium-Ion batteries. Note that during the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge in 2019, the Yacht Club de Monaco and Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation also co-launched the Monaco Hydrogen Working Group. Thanks to the success of this Working Group’s conference, the Monaco Energy Transition has been co-organiser for the last three years.
The meeting marks a significant step in the quest for a more sustainable future for the maritime industry as evidenced by the growing number of universities taking part alongside major players in the sector.
