@: marko.rehbein@solarboatteam.nl

I joined the Solar Boat Team because I wanted to work with state-of-the-art solar panels, carbon structures and given that I studied aerospace engineering, hydrofoils. The experience of designing something from scratch seemed like the perfect opportunity to learn practical skills not taught at university and to be part of a team all working behind one project.

This year, I am responsible for the mechanical aspects of the height control system, which ensures that the boat maintains a stable height and comfortable ride. This also means I must work closely with Roan from the electronics department, to make sure the data interpreted by the various sensors and the adjustments to the boat work in harmony. In addition, certain components like the motor and batteries can get very hot, so in order to have them operate at their highest efficiency, I’m designing a liquid cooling system.

I am looking forward to our final phase, the racing weekends, which will span five cities across two countries and will be filled with adrenaline, intense strategy and stiff competition. To guarantee our boat performs at the highest-level means working together to maintain and make constant on-the-fly improvements between races. With the Solar Boat team, we will show the potential of renewable energy in the maritime world!