UPRM’s solar boat to compete in Arkansas

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Cited from endi.com This solar boat will compete against the creations of students from "21 universities of the United States, Spain, Japan and Canada." "We hope to be between the first places, if not first", expressed very confident Carlos Rodriguez, the captain of Watercraft Engineering team of UPRM. "The team is made up of 25 mechanical and civil engineering students under the supervision of professors Eduardo J. Juan Garcia and David B. Dooner." "The boat, a catamaran that uses prefabricated floaters, has three solar panels of 160 watts each one, since the competition restricts the total of watts to 480, said Rodriguez." The boat measures 15 feet of length and seven of wide, which can reach a speed of 25 to 30 miles, will be commanded by one person. "The boat will be evaluated by its resistance, speed in the water, durability of the batteries and design." "Although UPRM has excelled in solar house and solar car competitions, this is the first time since 1992 that it participates in Solar Splash”, indicated Jorge Iván Vélez Arocho, director of UPRM." Projects like this they help attract the public’s, government, and businesses attention towards the importance of the renewable energy and the urgent necessity to develop projects "that can result in the creation of commercial products that use this kind of energy."