ALEX THOMSON NEWBUILD WILL HAVE ZERO EMISSIONSHOME NEWSECO AWARENESS ALEX THOMSON NEWBUILD WILL HAVE ZERO EMISSIONS24 Oct 2018EmailShareFacebookLinkedInTwitterPrintHUGO BOSS current boat Credit Alex Thomson RacingAlex Thomson Racing has underlined its commitment to sustainability by declaring an ambition to race around the world without the use of fossil fuels on its new IMOCA 60 yacht.Earlier this year the team announced plans to build the multi-million-pound HUGO BOSS with the aim of becoming the first non-French team to win the Vendée Globe race in 2020-2021. Now, well into the build process, the team has partnered with Finland-headquartered Oceanvolt to switch to an electric motor and batteries charged by onboard solar panel technology.“Battery power is really the heart of the boat,” explained Alex Thomson Racing’s technical director Ross Daniel. “It’s crucial for communication, navigation and the running of both the onboard water maker and the autopilot.”Energy efficiencySolar panels will be located across the deck with consideration of the duration of the race and conditions that the boat will be exposed to ensuring enough energy will be delivered.Ross added: “We’re confident that, by working closely with the team at Oceanvolt in the lead up to the Vendée Globe in 2020, we can develop a performance system which is clean, safe, efficient and wholly reliable.”Skipper Alex noted that while there is a perception that implementing more sustainable systems can bring about a performance disadvantage, ‘integrating more sustainable systems could actually deliver certain advantages and that’s an exciting prospect for our team’.HUGO BOSS is designed by French naval architectural firm VPLP Design in conjunction with Alex Thomson Racing’s design and technical team, led by Peter Hobson.SHARE THIS ARTICLE

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