Last year
The team participated in the Topclass of the The DONG Energy Solar Challenge. This year the race took place from the 8th of July till the 14th of july. Click here to read a quick summary of the race.
History and implementation
Back in the summer of 2004 Bouwe de Boer (an employee of the province of Friesland) was inspired by the World Solar Challenge in Australia. He was convinced that a similar race could be organized in the Netherlands. His idea was to organize a race for solar powered boats on the route of the famous “Elfstedentocht”. This same route is used as an ice-skating route during long-lasting frost in the winter.
Subsequently Bouwe has requested for support from Andries van Weperen (organizer of special events at Noord Plan) and Professor Dr. Ockels (professor at the Delft University of Technology, astronaut). Together they developed a suitable plan to set up a race. In this way the Frisian Solar Challenge was born, a race for solar powered boats with five stages on the route of the Elfstedentocht.
1. Leeuwarden – Sloten
2. Sloten – Bolsward
3. Bolsward – Franeker
4. Franeker – Dokkum
5. Dokkum – Leeuwarden
There are three different classes during this race:
A-class: A boat for a single person with four solar panels provided by the organization.
B-class: A boat for two persons with five solar panels provided by the organization.
Topclass: A boat for a single person with its own solar panels that have a maximum capacity of 1.750Wp.
Results
In 2006, during the first edition of the Frisian Nuon Solar Challenge there were 24 particpants. Here the Delft University of Technology has won with a time of 16 hours and 50 minutes. At the second edition in 2008, 39 teams participated in the contest. In this edition the team of the TU Delft, the Delta Lloyd Solar Boat Team won again. During the last edition in 2010, the competition field has greatly improved and the Private Energy Solar Boat Team took the first place with a lead of 29 minutes.
