In the beginning, a sporting rule
‘Competition makes you smarter,’ likes to repeat Stephan Kandler, founder and co-CEO of K-Challenge.
Competition pushes us to surpass ourselves and be creative.
Since its inception, the America's Cup has been an important technological incubator and the competition most synonymous with innovation.
The rules for the 2024 edition required teams to have only one type of assistance authorised in the racing area: a high-speed hydrogen-powered foiling boat (HSV).
This was a real technological challenge, in which K-Challenge participated through its subsidiary K-Challenge Lab, alongside a European consortium comprising the Italian shipyard Bluegame, the French architectural firm Philippe Briand and the French company EODev, a specialist in hydrogen.
K-Challenge Lab is ready to go even further in terms of the ecological transition of mobility by developing a version 2 that will be dedicated to the commercial markets for coastal motor boats under 30 metres.
ACT 1: The HSV, a high-speed hydrogen-powered foiling boat, version 1
To comply with the rules of the 37th America's Cup, each competitor had to have at least one fast flying boat, powered by 160 kW hydrogen fuel cells, capable of maintaining a cruising speed of 30 knots over a minimum of 150 nautical miles, while reaching a maximum speed of 50 knots for more than one hour of sailing during the day.
A European consortium
After months of studies conducted by experts, it was decided to develop a 33-foot (10-metre) hydrogen-powered catamaran, designed by French architect Philippe Briand, flying on hydrofoils, powered by two REXH2® engines from the French company EODev, coupled with three 63 kWh batteries and built by the Italian shipyard Bluegame.
‘We have partnered with a consortium that has been working with experts for months to meet these very specific specifications,’ says Stephan Kandler, before elaborating:
"There are several significant constraints to take into account. Firstly, the need to sail at high speeds for long periods of time; this requires performance that battery-powered boats are not capable of achieving, even on foiling catamarans, due to the weight and volume of the batteries. Hence the need for a combination of solutions and a hybrid system using hydrogen.
Furthermore, we know that the shape and total surface area of the hull in contact with the water is a key factor in terms of energy efficiency. Hence the catamaran. While drag is lower on a flying boat, we must not forget the Archimedean phase of take-off, which is very energy-intensive... »
In terms of energy, precisely?
"The boat's electric motors are powered by a hybrid energy source: on the one hand, a fuel cell, the REXH2 from EODev, and on the other, batteries. "
ACT 2: Democratising this technology on coastal transport vessels under 30 metres
In order to respond to a major challenge - the decarbonisation of transport in the maritime world - K-Challenge Lab is preparing for the future, drawing on data collected during the competition phase of the 37th America's Cup.
Data collection and French sovereignty
"The first HSV, a unique model in France, served as a laboratory vessel for K-Challenge. Its use during the competition was coupled with R&D work to model the boat, identify areas for improvement and set the parameters for future developments and innovations. With 28 days of sailing, our engineers and experts collected a wealth of valuable data.
K-Challenge Lab is one of the only companies in the world to possess this type of data. The other teams that own an HSV did not take this approach, with the possible exception of the New Zealanders.
In any case, we now possess French and sovereign expertise that is useful for maritime decarbonisation projects," explains Stephan Kandler.
Research & Development in partnership with Hopium
The teams at K-Challenge Lab and the French company Hopium have begun formalising an R&D programme to design a demonstration boat for a French hydrogen propulsion solution that can be implemented on board coastal transport vessels less than 30 metres in length:
- A lighter, more compact, more efficient fuel cell, adapted for marine use and ready for mass production. Currently, the only options available are the Toyota fuel cell, which is not fully adapted for marine use, and a Canadian fuel cell adapted for marine use.
- Integration on a semi-rigid boat as a demonstrator
- Harmonisation of systems
The aim for the future is for these solutions to be usable for other purposes and other forms of transport.
The teams are working according to the following principles:
- Speed
- Technology transfer possible to other uses
- H2 gas/H2 liquid compatibility
- Pooling and economies of scale
- R&D applied to specific cases
- Simplicity and robustness
