NEWS RELEASE
Minnesota Renewable Energy Society (MRES)
Media Contact for this event: Doug Shoemaker 612-308-4757
For more info and photos or video of last year’s regatta: www.SolarBoatRace.net
STUDENTS TO RACE THEIR SOLAR BOATS IN SOLAR BOAT REGATTA MAY 18
St. Paul – Student teams from across Minnesota will race their solar boats in the Minnesota Renewable Energy
Society (MRES) 21st Annual Solar Boat Regatta Saturday, May 18, at Lake Phalen in St. Paul. The event, from
10 a.m. to early afternoon near the Lake Phelan Beach House, 1400 Phalen Drive, St. Paul, is free to the public.
Students build solar boats or adapt boats to run on solar power for the regatta, which includes speed, slalom and
endurance races. About 9 a.m., a solar-powered pontoon boat will give free rides to the public if it’s not too
windy.
About 15 middle school and high school teams are expected to race. The teams are from schools in St. Paul,
Minneapolis, Virginia, Rochester, Alexandria, Long Lake and Apple Valley.
The solar boat races are designed to educate students about solar energy, design and engineering. The boats
make use of the sun's radiation, which generates electricity and is either stored in a battery or used directly to
run the boat's electric motor. No other power source is allowed.
The public is invited to attend the regatta, which offers a chance to show support for solar power and the
students' interest in renewable energy. It’s a day at the lake with family fun in the sun on the beach, so bring
your grills, picnic baskets and lawn chairs to enjoy the day.
The Minnesota Renewable Energy Society (MRES) is a member-run, 501(c)3 non-profit organization founded to
promote the use of and to engage in advocacy for renewable energies in Minnesota through education and
through the demonstration of practical applications. MRES is involved in education, awareness, and advocacy
efforts for all forms of renewable energy, with a particular emphasis on solar technologies. For more
information about MRES, go to: www.mnrenewables.org
# END #