Monaco Energy Boat Challenge 2022

  Sixteen teams were selected from their application files for the Energy Class. Launched in 2018, for this class the organisers supply the same design catamaran hull to all contestants who select a zero-emission energy source and design a propulsion system, with the sole constraint of using a pre-set quantity of energy of 10kWh. Some have become regulars like the teams from Arts & Métiers and SBM Offshore. Alongside countries like Indonesia, Monaco, France (best represented with five teams), Greece, Italy, Portugal, United Arab Emirates and China, this year sees teams from Canada and India participating for the first time, represented by the Montreal Polytechnic and Kumaraguru College of Technology, respectively. It clearly means a great deal to these contestants, as Professor Kiranlal from Kumaraguru College of Technology explains: “At Sea Sakthi, we have previous experience in the automobile field, participating in a number of national events on behalf of our institute. Recently, we have turned our attention to electric mobility. We’re helping our nation be carbon neutral by 2070 as India pledged at COP26. It’s the Sea Sakthi team’s main motivation. The Monaco Energy Boat Challenge is a catalyst for change. It’s an opportunity for students like ours and the industry to innovate and go beyond limits. It is an honour and pleasure to be participating in this event. We can measure our progress against others from across the world, which is a challenge we relish. At Sea Sakthi we come from a nation named after an ocean and are sure to conquer the waves!”. The same goes for Pascale Bérubé from the Montreal Polytechnic who says: “To participate is already a big success for Exocet and the culmination of all our hard work. As this student group began the project during a pandemic, it’s been a long hard road. Despite moments when we felt like we were swimming against the tide, we persevered and this success is all the more encouraging. We are very excited by the idea of sharing our ideas to improve tomorrow’s maritime transport, a cause dear to our hearts”. Another newcomer for 2022 is the Polytechnico Milano from Italy. Eight of the 16 teams, that’s 50%, are working with hydrogen and its usage in the yachting industry is also being tested in all these projects. “Each team’s technical data has been examined with a tooth comb,” explains Jérémie Lagarrigue, CEO of EODev who heads the Technical Committee. “The Committee comprises five experts who follow the competitors year-round and answer their technical questions. It is extremely important that the Committee examines each team’s specifications to ensure best safety practices and fair play during the competition in Monaco. All teams receive a set of guidelines for building their cockpit within strict regulations relating to energy and safety onboard”.