The Solgenia is a research ship and solar boat in the second generation of the University of Konstanz and the world's first ever combined with a photovoltaic-hydrogen-electric hybrid drive for solar fuel cell technology , photovoltaics and hydrogen technology, flanked by an information management system on board that is used for a always ensures optimal operating behavior through a predictive, adaptive, intelligent energy and data system.
The ship was christened on June 21, 2007 on the Seerhein ( Lake Constance ) at the boat dock right in front of the University of Konstanz.
The hydrogen is generated on land with a photovoltaic system and temporarily stored in gas bottles. This can be used to refuel the boat if necessary.
The research ship of the Konstanz University of Applied Sciences is being developed at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology under the direction of Christian Schaffrin and Richard Leiner; the responsible laboratory engineer is Alexander Kirjuchin. The research project is funded by the Ministry of the Environment of Baden-Württemberg , the Federal Ministry of Transport in Berlin and a number of companies and people.
The first solar boat as a research ship at the Konstanz University of Applied Sciences , the Korona , was developed by Christian Schaffrin and his team at the time since 1987. Since then, the Korona has been traveling reliably and smoothly across Lake Constance. The Korona is a solar boat with a length of 7.2 m that can carry up to six people and its almost 10 m² solar cells supply a 2.2 kW electric motor that can drive the boat up to a speed of 12 km / h. The batteries allow a range of up to 70 km. When the sun is shining, the range is basically unlimited, albeit with reduced acceleration and cruising speed when the batteries are empty. In 1988 the Korona won the first solar boat regatta on Lake Neuchâtel in Switzerland. At that time, the development team named a price of 100,000 DM for the small series production of the solar yacht (this corresponds to around 90,000 euros today, adjusted for inflation).
