@: gerben.rijpkema@solarboatteam.nl

During my high school, I once wrote a paper about boats flying on hydrofoils. Regarding this project, I came in contact with the TU Delft Solar Boat Team. When I later went to study at the TU Delft, I realised that I potentially could be a part of this amazing project. Three years and a Bachelor in Mechanical Engineering later, this became a reality when I began in my function as Financial Manager.

As a team, we have chosen an incredibly ambitious goal. It is almost bizarre to build an hydrogen powered boat with a small group of students in just one year. But if we can do this, imagine possibilities exist for us as a society! Imagine that we set ambitious goals as well and work together on realizing the renewable energy transition. This is exactly what we aim to accomplish as a team and is the exact thing that motivates me in my function.

As Financial Manager, I am responsible for our partnerships. Every single on of our partners stand behind our common mission of making the maritime industry sustainable. There are partners that help us with the design, the realization of our boat, but also with the exposure of our project. Each company helps in their own way, but with one common goal in mind. This is exactly how we should approach the realizing of the energy transition: together, and with one ambitious common goal.