Monaco Energy Boat Challenge – 6-10 July 2021

 

Launched two years ago, the exhibition village will again open its doors at the MEBC to provide a forum where exhibitors and startups can unveil their projects, both on the water in the YCM Marina and on the quay. This year’s Exhibitors Village looks more than set to fulfil expectations.

 

Hulls come into their own

Swiss Sustainable Yachts AG will be unveiling Aquon One, an autonomous solar catamaran that produces its own renewable energy onboard and stores it in the form of green hydrogen.  Neocean is set to showcase Overboat, a compact foiling, electric, automatic, eco-friendly catamaran. The startup has garnered numerous awards, including the Electric Boat Jury Prize in 2019 from the Association Française du Bateau Electrique. It was also the big winner at the ‘1000 solutions for the Planet’ competition launched by the Solar Impulse Foundation, and the Grand Prix and smart and sustainable mobility prize at the 40th innovation competition in the Occitanie region in 2021. In the same vein, NepTech will be giving an update on its fleet of new generation 12-14m catamarans that can take up to 150 passengers or 20 tonnes of merchandise. Their concept combines hi-tech engineering, shipping expertise and eco-design techniques. The team at Gerrisboats have been working on an innovative hull that adapts to the sailing conditions to minimise drag and optimise efficiency. Depending on speed, Gerrisboats hulls change to become as efficient as possible which helps increase their electric-power autonomy.

 

To each their own source

Biomimetic electric propulsion will also be there in the shape of the FinX project to replace conventional propellors with an undulating membrane that can save up to 30% on energy consumption compared to ordinary propellors. Alongside Deepspeed, which has developed a revolutionary propulsion concept, efficient, clean and propellor-free, Ameryachts has put together a team whose main mission is to build a 60-seat zero emission  vessel  that is safe for marine fauna. Designed to take marine biologists and students, the intention is to use it to observe and study whales in the Pelagos Sanctuary. Solbian will be showing its flexible solar panels of photovoltaic cells inter-locked between polymer layers at the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge. Electric Dynamic Nautics (EDYN) focuses on electric propulsion systems for different power-levels and sizes of boat that can be adapted to lakes, rivers and even the open sea. Hydrogen is at the heart of research by H2SYS which specialises in hydrogen generator sets and fuel cells capable of delivering from 500W to 3.5kW DC. Equipped with an installation scale, a user interface and communication cards, data can be monitored and registered in real time.

 

VEBRAT designs and manufacturers powerful electric engines and its own batteries for everyday boats and tenders for yachts and superyachts. Their latest concept is an outboard engine with a horse power rating currently not available on the market. In the same field, Zodiac Nautic in collaboration with Torqeedo is developing the eJET 450, a 50kW Deep Blue electric engine partnered with the latest generation 40kWh car battery (BMW). The new engine provides an autonomy up to 90 minutes at 24 knots and eight hours at 5 knots. As well as competing in the Energy Class, SBM Offshore is showing a demonstrator floating pontoon that produces green hydrogen from renewable energy: solar via solar panels and hydraulic energy via a tidal turbine. Hynova, which is also involved in the Open Sea class, is exhibiting the HYNOVA 40 on the quay, first model in the world intended to be produced as a series, using hydrogen stored on board to sail without producing CO2 or NOx emissions or noise, and with no risk of hydrocarbon leaks.