Solar powered Flying Dutchman
Text from TheGreenLightDistrict:
Wise people told them it’s too early for a speedboat solely on solar energy. So here it is, the Czeers MK1 solar speedboat. And don’t think this green speeder will only look good in the greenskirts of the San Francisco bay area. The black carbon fibre racer is built for say Dubai, where carbon is fluent in fuel, but most of all, it’s where the überrich people of our planet are. They could flaunt it in the harbour of Monaco, or use it as a tender to their Georgetown based super yaught. “Like in the development of planes and cars, we believe innovative technique starts at the top of the market. Of course there’s a Toyota Prius that brings innovation to the more drivers the greener. Those initiatives that aim for large quantities have one thing in common: they want us to drive less, or drive slower. We want a sustainable boat that excels in speed, material and looks,” says Nils Beers of Netherlands-based Czeers. “Our goal was a first impression that makes you go: ”I need that boat”. The green aspect is the core of the design and will not be compromised, but we think one will buy a Czeers MK1 for it’s exclusivity, design or innovative technique.”
Martin Czap and Nils Beers (see the CzEers) were born in the same two weeks some 25 years ago. Astrologists will digg this, since the two have three unusual loves in common; boating, sustainability and the Dire Straits. “We’re both convinced it’s the best band ever.” Every genius has his odd side, so forgive them for the Dire Straits and let’s believe in their quest for green speed. Czap and Beers met at the Nuon Frision Solar Challenge, the world’s first championship for sun driven boats. They won with a 10 hours time difference in a race that took them only 20 hours. They then and there sold their first solar powered boat. And realised that if this is what can be accomplished by 8 students in 5 months with a handfull of money, what greater things they could do if they started a company and found the funds. In came space shuttle astronaut Wubbo Ockels, whose name gave them credibility and opened doors to finance.
Czeers MK1 is no product of green washing. No facade of solar energy that hides an engine which runs on something filthy for 80 percent of the time, but one 100 percent solar power. The two Naval Architecture students designed a hull that has a high performance at not only high speed, but in a much larger speed range. The resemblance with a flight deck ship comes from placing 14 square meters of solar panels on a 10 meters long speedboat. The panels generate 300 watt per m2. With an empty weight of only 350 kilo’s and a draught of only 10 centimeters, the Czeers MK1 can reach a top speed of 30 knots or 55 km/hrs. There’s a 150 kW motor by Innosys Engineering inside and a custom Lithium-Ion-Polymere battery to allow you to sail it all day long, even in Dutch weather.
Thank God good green sense doesn’t have to cramp our fun, or even our style. The MK1 sure hits the Green-spot.
