Monaco Energy Boat Challenge: designing the yachting of the future

Every summer since 2014, the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge has promoted the development of renewable energy within the yachting industry.

It’s a competition unlike any other. The aim of the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge, which has been organised since 2014 by the Yacht Club de Monaco in partnership with the Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM) and the Prince Albert II Foundation, is to design the yachting of the future. “It is more important than ever that we take an eco-friendly approach to building our future. The yachting industry cannot evolve unless it makes sustainable development an integral part of everything it does,” emphasises Bernard d’Alessandri, Secretary-General of the Yacht Club de Monaco.

The Monaco Energy Boat Challenge jury’s favourite vessels included The New Era, developed by Hynova. This 12-metre-long boat is the first hydrogen-powered pleasure craft. It is equipped with an electric engine powered by a fuel cell.

A true incubator devoted to supporting research and development in the yachting industry, the Yacht Club de Monaco provides participants with a platform for networking and discussion, with a series of conferences, tech talks and exhibitions. The goal is always the same: designing a sustainable approach to marine transport which is resource-efficient and eco-friendly.

“Today, it’s still possible to be a pioneer thanks to new energy sources and new technologies that protect the environment. The Monaco Energy Boat Challenge is an example. The organizers and participants are writing a new chapter of history.”

Bertrand Piccard, founder of the Solar Impulse Foundation and event sponsor.