Counting down the days: World Solar Challenge 2017

With less than a month to go until the World Solar Challenge 2017, all three competing Dutch Solar teams have arrived in Australia! However, the last few days were quite exciting for two of the Dutch teams. For a while it was uncertain if Nuon Solar Team and Solar Team Eindhoven could get their batteries to Australia in time for the race. Due to recent incidents, shipping batteries via air freight has become more difficult. Fortunately, both teams just recently announced their batteries are on their way to Australia! 

Furthermore, Solar Team Eindhoven recently was covered by 7 news Adelaide as the team visited a primary school to inspire students. Their message: always reach for the stars.
The third team, Solar Team Twente announced they will reveal their first driver this week. 

In the coming weeks we will bring you the latest news on the Dutch Solar teams as they prepare for the big race. Stay tuned and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

"This tiny country feeds the world"

National Geographic’s September 2017 edition magazine features an interesting article about the Dutch agriculture. It describes how the Dutch decided to make a national commitment to sustainable agriculture: ‘twice as much food using half as many resources’.

The Netherlands is a small and densely populated country. Yet it is the second largest exporter of food as measured by value. On top of the list: the United States, which has 270 times its landmass. How on earth have the Dutch done it? The driving force behind our success is Wageningen University & Research (WUR), widely known to be the world’s top agricultural research institution. This is a great article if you want to get an idea of the Dutch agriculture.

 

Atlas Programmed Marine JV delivers greater range of services to oil & gas clients

In the beginning of August, the Atlas Programmed Marine joint venture opened for business, with a focus on delivering a greater range of services and capabilities to clients within the Australasian oil and gas sector.

The new business is a 50/50 joint venture between global operator Atlas Professionals and Australian-based Programmed Marine with an ambitious strategy to become Australasia’s leading provider of offshore and marine manning services.

Led by Chief Executive Officer Jim Caldwell, the JV intends leveraging Atlas’s worldwide footprint and Programmed’s established reputation and experience within the local market in order to provide an enhanced service for its growing client base.

Experience authentic Dutch cruising in Sydney's waterways

Last month, LEKKER Boats launched their Lekker Damsko 750 model during the Sydney International Boat Show! This 17-person dayboat cruiser has a top speed approaching 88 kmh. The company, who builds handmade authentic aluminium speedboats, wants to bring some Dutch thinking into the way we get about in Australia.
Meindert Wolfraad, the Dutch-born beach lover behind LEKKER Boats, says the boats he is used to in Amsterdam are basically old house boats that are refurbished to party boats. This inspired him to built a boat for Australia.

"These boats need to be different, because Australia has longer distances and it's choppier and there are bigger waves. So, the circumstances are completely different to the canals and the waters of the Netherlands." Lekker Damsko 750 is ideal for Sydney’s waterways.