Sport and innovation serving energy transition with MONKILOWATT, Official Supporter of Orient Express Racing Team

"Sport makes you smarter." This philosophy, adopted by K-Challenge, the company behind Orient Express Racing Team, the official French challenger for the Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup, applies not only to all sporting aspects but also to finding solutions to reduce the team's environmental impact. K-Challenge is committed to a sustainable future and works closely with its teams and partners to develop or use innovative clean technologies. 
In addition to the cutting-edge system provided by the SAUR Group, which has halved the team's water footprint, K-Challenge management was also seeking a carbon-free energy production solution to contribute to the energy mix at the French base in Barcelona. At the same time, Orient Express Racing Team needed a space to accommodate nearly 100 daily guests during the race period. 

Faced with this dual challenge, the team chose to partner with the French company MONKILOWATT, which, thanks to its globally patented CONTAINWATT®, provides the perfect solution: a high-quality energy self-sufficient hospitality and dining space.   

Initially, CONTAINWATT® was designed to develop renewable electricity generators used by groups and populations without access to electricity. This solution also has numerous other potential applications, such as serving as a living base or for deployment at sporting or cultural events, among others. 

Jean-Marc Lalane, co-founder and partner at MONKILOWATT: "We believe that energy should be accessible to everyone, while having the lowest possible impact on the environment. While respecting these goals, our products and solutions actively help to develop local economies, education, and healthcare with the aim of equitable and necessarily sustainable development. Whether the use is as a living base, for an emergency, or long-term use, our products can contribute to the survival of people or simply allow them to live in areas devoid of any infrastructure." 

This solution, deployable in crisis environments, can also be used in an event setting where energy demands are high for short durations. 

As part of the partnership between Orient Express Racing Team and MONKILOWATT, solar panels have been installed at a height of 3 metres, serving as a shelter for the entire hospitality area, which is entirely energy self-sufficient. 

Stephan Kandler, Founder of K-Challenge and CEO of Orient Express Racing Team: "We are very pleased to have found this modular solution with MONKILOWATT. In addition to its perfect integration into our base and the reception space it provides, CONTAINWATT® not only supplies electricity to the hospitality area to power fridges, lighting, and screens used to follow the races live but also partially powers the nearby simulator area. This solution aligns with our desire to have an energy mix at the base, constantly working toward decarbonisation." 

Jean-Marc Lalane: "With an AC75 that is powered by four power sailors to adjust the sails and mast, plus a hydrogen-powered foiling support boat, the French team is significantly reducing its carbon impact at the base. MONKILOWATT is proud to contribute to this challenge, which demonstrates that the world's oldest sporting competition, the America's Cup, is also among the most innovative in terms of low-carbon ambition."