The SolACT Smart Race is Australia s only Solar and Advanced Technology boat race. It is an international event, open to any craft that is driven by a non-polluting power source, except wind power. The race brings together renewable energy enthusiasts from all over the world. Participants must create innovative vessels that can compete over the course of the five-hour race. However, in small craft solar cells and batteries can be cumbersome and a total environmental impact analysis reveals that they are not perfect.
Most people think of methane gas as being the only available gas derivable from biological sources.
Methane is naturally produced from animals and the normal decomposition of biological materials like animal waste, rice husks and even trees. Propane is also a practical fuel because it is liquifiable and stored in normal household gas cylinders. We have students studying here from Bangladesh who are looking into alternative fuel solutions to some of their transport problems. In countries like Bangladesh solar-powered boats are just not a practical solution at the current stage. With the new boat, the UTS team intends to build a faster and more efficient outboard leg for next year once again using biomass derived fuel.