View Hoboken (Belgium) plant after the facelift (early 2009).Photo: Conix Architects.
High-efficiency solar cells bring home victory in Frisian Solar Challenge!
Looking for people to prove that high-efficiency germanium-based solar cells work just as well on Europe’s northern waterways as they do in the burning sun of Australia’s outback? A team of seven young students of the Dutch Technical University of Delft did just that, building a sophisticated vessel, arming it with germanium-based solar cells and scoring an easy win over its mostly silicon-based rivals during the Frisian Solar Challenge in late June.
The “Frisian Solar Challenge” is a six day race in the high north of the Netherlands, a reenactment of the famous “Eleven Cities” ice-scating contest, but this time in the summer period and using solar-powered boats. Some 50 teams from across the globe participated in the race.
Umicore supplied a key portion of the germanium substrates used to power the winners’ solar boat, which also benefited from a sleek hull and an ingenious propulsion system. The boat has an average speed of 20 km/hour, but can rev up to 30 km/hour when pushed. Enough to grab a three-hour lead over the competition at the finish line in the Dutch town of Leeuwarden.
Participants were required to lift their boats out of the water and carry it from waterway to waterway. Bearing in mind that the winners’ boat weighs 90 kg and has a length of 6 metres, more than simply excellent navigational skills and a cool heart was required!
Two established Belgian names sponsor Belgian fuel cell powered racing kart.