Evening Lecture: Solar Boat Twente – from Solar to Methanol - canceled

Solar energy — the ultimate green solution, right? Well… not always.

On 20 May 2025, student team Solar Boat Twente will explain how their step to green methanol will create a real impact in sustainable energy in the maritime world & beyond. After years of developing solar-powered boats, the team is now taking on a bold new challenge: building a boat powered by green methanol.

Unlike solar energy, methanol is not dependent on environmental conditions and requires relatively little space, making it a powerful and promising fuel for clean maritime transport. To enable this transition, the team is replacing the combustion engine with a fuel cell system – an innovative leap that opens up new design and engineering possibilities. Some critics argue that methanol still emits CO₂, and is therefore not truly green. But the team disagrees. Their goal is to use green methanol – produced either from plant-based biomass or synthesized using CO₂ captured directly from the air.

At Solar Boat Twente, our mission is to make a real impact — to push the boundaries of what sustainable energy can look like in the maritime world and beyond.
Switching to methanol is not a step back — it’s a step forward into a future where clean, practical solutions can truly change the world.

On May 20th, we will tell you the full story.
Why methanol is not just an alternative, but actually a cleaner, smarter, and more scalable solution for a sustainable future.
And why we are proud to be the first to make this leap.

📅 Event Details

• Date & time: 20 May 2025. 18:50 – 20:30
• Location: Carré 3C, UT Campus, Drienerlo

Programme

• 18:50–19:10 Walk-in & networking
• 19:15–20:30 Lecture by Solar Boat Twente
• 20:30 End

About Solar Boat Twente

Solar Boat Twente is a student team consisting of 24 highly motivated students from the University of Twente and Saxion University of Applied Sciences. Together with the support of their partners, they have developed a series of innovative boats powered by solar energy – and now they’re moving into the next frontier.

In 2025, Solar Boat Twente was nominated as a finalist for the KIVI Engineering Student Teams Award.
👉 Support the Solar Boat Twente team in their crowdfunding campaign