First-ever Russian woman to complete Mini Transat wins MAP race using UP400 generator & solar panels

PowerUP Energy Technologies' CEO, Dr. Ivar Kruusenberg with Russian Class mini sailor Irina Gracheva at the Lorient Port, France © PowerUP Energy Technologies

Estonian cleantech startup, PowerUP Energy Technologies has announced a partnership with Russian sailor Irina Gravecha where Irina is using the UP400 hydrogen fuel cell generator along with solar panels to meet her boat's power needs during her races.

While Irina started sailing earlier this month, she has already won the MAP race using a UP400 hydrogen fuel cell in addition to solar panels! Talking about her win and her collaboration with PowerUP, Irina Gracheva, one of the best Class mini sailors today said "Through our collaboration with PowerUP, Canopus became the first Mini to use hydrogen to charge batteries. This enables us to be at the forefront of innovative technologies and take care of nature by abandoning fossil fuels at this stage. I am proud to say that Canopus now consumes exclusively renewable fuel!"

The installation of the new hydrogen fuel cell generator took place in Lorient just over a week ago, and the tests took place during the MAP race.

Talking about the partnership, Dr. Ivar Kruusenberg, Founder and CEO at PowerUP Energy Technologies said "We are thrilled to be collaborating with the first-ever Russian woman to have completed the Mini Transat. She races on a Proto in the Mini Class which is designed for high-performance racing. We approached Irina last year, however, the pandemic did not allow for things to materialize fast. But we did not fret. We used this time to develop a customized solution for her that would be powerful yet safe to accompany her during her races. Irina has a legacy of trying innovative solutions when it comes to her sailing journey. As she was not satisfied with the power solutions available before, she was clear in what she wanted: a reliable backup source for the solar panels. "

The CleanTech start-up produces the best-in-class hydrogen fuel cell-based electric generators and proton exchange membrane fuel cells. Interestingly, their generators are not limited to maritime use but have diverse use cases in industries such as marine, telecommunication, military, construction, hospitals, off-grid homes, and rescue forces to name a few. UP® product range is sustainable since it emits zero-emission, compact and lightweight, operates silently, and requires minimal maintenance.

"We delivered a UP400 generator to her recently in France which will allow her to charge her batteries whenever she likes and do that sustainably. Being an inspiration for many, Irina is our ideal customer in the sailing world and we hope our generator supports her in every possible situation at the sea. We wish her all the best for her sailing endeavors!" added Kruusenberg.

PowerUP Energy Technologies serves as a sustainable alternative to power generation in today's world and helps its users in various industries to reach the global net-zero targets.

www.powerup-tech.com