Ships, used for transportation and as an essential part of urban infrastructure, have a combined global power capacity of over 1000 GW. Therefore, finding new sustainable energy solutions to replace fossil fuels in this energy sector is crucial.

The Monaco Energy Boat Challenge is an international competition where universities from around the world compete to develop innovative and sustainable boats.

In this project from Aalborg University, students from the Department of Energy and the Department of Materials and Production (MP) collaborate to build a sustainable boat with a focus on advanced energy technology and innovative mechanical design. The goal is to participate with a competitive catamaran in 2025. The competition challenges teams to develop the most energy-efficient boat.

The students in the project aim to build a physical prototype that can perform in the competition’s various disciplines, including speed tests, slalom sailing, and a four-hour distance race. At the same time, the boat must meet strict sustainability requirements, with a life cycle analysis (LCA) assessing the overall environmental impact of the design.

1. Department of Energy plays a central role in the project, with two groups from the 2nd semester working on developing and modeling an efficient energy system for the catamaran. The students focus on hydrogen-powered fuel cells combined with batteries or solar panels to supply energy to the electric motor. The goal is to optimize the boat's energy consumption to meet the competition's requirements for a 100% renewable energy supply. The student’s tasks are to find the most effective and sustainable solutions that ensures both high performance and low environmental impact.
2. Students from Materials and Production will develop the mechanical design of the catamaran's hull. Two groups from the 2nd semester will work on designing a lightweight and robust catamaran capable of handling the demanding conditions of the competition. It is crucial to optimize mass distribution and the mechanical design of the propulsion system to ensure the boat’s stability and performance. Their work involves advanced simulation and testing of various materials to create a hull that is both strong and lightweight.
3. Another group examines the potential for using the hydrogen-powered boat for passenger transport in Aalborg. This could, for example, improve transportation across Limfjorden and contribute to sustainable urban infrastructure. An analysis of the boat's application compared to other transport methods, such as bridges, will be part of the project's assessment.

The students collaborate to create solutions that can have a real impact on the future green transport sector. Participation in the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge gives them a unique opportunity to test their ideas in a competitive environment and contribute to the development of sustainable energy solutions globally.