Wildau Solar Boat Race: The Dahme River is once again transformed into a racecourse

The Wildau University of Applied Sciences will be hosting the solar boat regatta for the eleventh time on 5 September 2026. The venue is situated just 600 metres from the campus, on the banks of the River Dahme near the Villa am See. Teams from Germany, Poland, Hungary and the Netherlands have registered for the competition.

Three competition disciplines test different skills

The day of the competition begins at 10.00 am with a welcome address by the university’s president, Prof. Ulrike Tippe, and the mayor, Frank Nerlich. The endurance race takes place from 10.30 am to 1.30 pm. The boats must cover as great a distance as possible within three hours. Between races, the teams are not permitted to recharge their batteries using external power sources.

The sprints will begin at 2.30 pm. Each boat will complete two runs over a 200-metre course, turn round and race another 200 metres back to the finish. The time determines the finishing order. From 3.30 pm to 4.30 pm, two boats at a time will compete against each other in head-to-head races and complete a course. The prize-giving ceremony will take place at 5 pm.

All boats compete in a single classification

The regatta does not divide the boats into different classes. All participating boats compete against one another in a single classification. The results are standardised, with the standardisation based on data recorded by a measurement box. During the races, this box records the performance data of the solar panels and batteries. According to the organisers, the system is designed to enable a fair comparison between boats of different sizes.

Organised by the university and local partners

Prof. Jörg Reiff-Stephan is in charge of organising the regatta. He is a founding member of the German Solar Boat Association and works alongside Prof. Alexander Köthe, who is Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences. Villa am See Wildau is providing the venue. The Wildau Water Sports Club is assisting with the event on the water. The university’s Students’ Union, the town of Wildau, the German Red Cross and the Volunteer Fire Brigade are helping to organise the event.

Spectators can watch the races free of charge from the riverbank. The proximity to the race course offers a direct view of the action. Refreshments will be available. Teams wishing to take part can register for future regattas by emailing solarboot@th-wildau.de or support the event as a sponsor.

Origins in environmental education in schools

The history of solar boat regattas began in 1986 following the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Norbert Wilms, a chemistry and physics teacher at the Max Beckmann Secondary School in Berlin, wanted to teach pupils about renewable energy in a practical way. The school is situated near Lake Tegel. Wilms came up with the idea of building solar-powered boats with his pupils, thereby putting theory into practice.

On 3 September 1988, the first solar boat regatta took place – presumably the first of its kind in the world. What began as an event in Berlin and Hamburg developed into an international competition. The German Solar Boat Association now organises several regattas a year, including on Lake Werbellin and the Finow Canal in Eberswalde. The Wildau Regatta has been a regular fixture on the racing calendar since 2016.

Technology meets water sports

The regatta combines sporting competition with the development of solar technology. Students, school pupils and private enthusiasts design the boats and optimise solar cells, batteries and propulsion systems. The event serves as a platform for exchange between participants and visitors. The practical application of renewable energy is clearly evident.

Wildau University of Applied Sciences also uses the regatta to promote its engineering degree programmes. Students from the university help organise the event and have the opportunity to showcase their own boat projects. The event highlights the link between academic research and practical application in the field of sustainable mobility.