A race around the world powered by renewables
Climb aboard the breakthrough challenge - Around the world without fossil fuels
From 2021 to 2024, Hager Group and E3DC partnered with the skipper Fabrice Amedeo in his quest to finish his 2nd Vendée Globe. Together we have embarked on another race: using our expertise showing that sailing the world is now possible using renewable energy only.
For the Vendée Globe, yachts carry up to 200l of diesel. In this solo round-a-world voyage, Fabrice didn’t only complete his 2nd Vendée Globe but he also successfully crossed the finish line with total energy autonomy.
Sailing is fueled by wind. An ages old renewable technology from which Amedeo also added solar and hydro power for a completely renewables-powered competition. In collaboration with his team, our experts have developed the technical implementation of the energy supply, storage and distribution. This is a real challenge, especially given that the oceanographic sensors mean an increased energy requirement of 15%.
Energy management system
16m² of solar panels and two hydro generators keep recharging the batteries, granting up to 36hrs of energy autonomy. The solar panels are made from particularly high-performance flexible solar cells, which adapt to the shape of the boat. This means that every surface angle, no matter how small, can be exploited. Hager Group and E3/DC expertise allowed for an optimised energy management system and best battery size.
Our common goal is to raise awareness for what is possible relying on renewables only, be it in extreme sailing or in everyday life. Hager Group is committed to pushing environmental technologies either way.
"In projects like this, we combine technology with environmental awareness. It's something that is close to our hearts. Our vision is to achieve a high level of independence from external aid and the greatest possible energy self-sufficiency. Fabrice Amedeo will achieve this with his boat on the ocean; we are aiming for the same independence from fossil fuels in our buildings on land", explains Marc Helfter, Director of Technical Innovation at Hager Group.
Sailing in the service of science
This surface DNA produced a never done before biological map of the marine organisms, from microscopic bacteria to large marine mammals such as whales, present along the route. This was a cutting-edge research technology from New Zealand.
This invaluable data has been shared to renowned research institutes such as Ifremer in Brest, Geomar Helmholtz-Zentrum für Ozeanforschung in Kiel and Max-Planck-Institut für Marine Mikrobiologie in Bremen. The information gathered furthers the understanding of the impact of global warming on the oceans.
To drive meaningful change, it is essential that we are conscious of the impact our actions have on the environment. That is why we supported scientific research through the Ocean Calling Fund. Additionally, we have collaborated with Fabrice Amadeo for the release of our Sustainability Report, which documents our sustainability journey in 2022 and showcases the progress we have made so far from ethical, environmental, and employer standpoints. Partnerships play a vital role in this process. Together, we can make a difference!
Innovation and sustainability
With Fabrice we share the desire to protect the environment. He does the action we supply the know-how. Inspired by his dedication to ocean health, we have recently launched a new range of switches made from at least 27% of plastic collected near the coast.
The raw material is supplied by Avient, who collaborates with Plastic Bank, a company that collects plastic waste before it reaches the oceans.
Innovation and sustainability often go hand in hand. Of this we are convinced.
