- DUT and EWSETA have launched the Siyahamba Solar Boat at Durban’s Point Yacht Club.
- It has an overall length of 5.5m, a width of 2.4m and a height of 1.2m.
The Durban University of Technology (DUT), in collaboration with the Energy and Water Sector Education Training Authority (EWSETA), has launched the Siyahamba Solar Boat at Durban’s Point Yacht Club.
This solar-powered boat was designed and built by DUT students and staff from the DUT Energy Technology Station, known as the KwaZulu-Natal Industrial Energy Efficient Training and Resource Centre (IEETR). Daanish Meeran, a DUT alumnus and former DUT staff member, designed the boat.
Likewise, the Siyahamba Solar Boat will compete in the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge (MEBC) in July this year. DUT is among the 15 finalists selected out of 120 global entries for this prestigious competition.
Also, it has an overall length of 5.5m, a width of 2.4m and a height of 1.2m. The main body is made from a carbon fibre composite structure reinforced with aluminium. The estimated overall weight is 90kg. It has a photovoltaic (PV) array of 1.3KW to charge a 1.46KW hour battery bank and power its 4KW Torqeedo electric motor.