Team first from UK to enter 'Championship' of solar boating

A team from the University of Southampton is putting the finishing touches on a solar-powered boat they plan to race in the Solar Splash, a major engineering competition.

The race, dubbed the “World Championship of Intercollegiate Solar Boating,” is scheduled for 27 – 31 May in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Peter Wilson of the university’s School of Electronics and Computer Science is heading Team Tarka in conjunction with students at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers who helped design and build the boat to be both energy efficient and speedy.

The team plans to give the boat a final test run this Thursday at Woodmill in Southampton. Afterward, the group will pack up the vessel for shipping to the US.

The university already has two solar installations on campus and is investigating new types of solar cell based on nanotechnology. The electronics school also has extensive experience in renewable energy systems, power electronics and electronics design.

“This will be the first UK entrant in this international competition, and it is fitting that it comes from Southampton,” Wilson said. “It is the first time that we have done a project of this scale. It allows students to think outside the box when it comes to applications for solar cells. We hope this can be a showcase for technology and the skills here at the University of Southampton on a global stage.”