Space Industry and Business News
SOLAR DAILY
Belgian team wins S.Africa's 'most extreme' solar car race
Belgian team wins S.Africa's 'most extreme' solar car race
by AFP Staff Writers
Cape Town (AFP) Sept 20, 2024

A team of Belgian students and engineers on Friday won a solar-powered car race in South Africa widely considered the most challenging for testing the technology.

Over a dozen teams competed in the eight-day race spanning thousands of kilometres, with varying weather and altitude extremes adding to the complexities for designers.

"Innoptus claimed victory after breaking their own record not once, but twice during the competition," the organisers of the Sasol Solar Challenge said in a statement.

The race, held every two years since its inauguration in 2008, kicked off on September 13 in Secunda in the country's northeast with 14 teams competing to the finish in Cape Town.

"This is a crucible... It is the most extreme solar challenge in the world," race director Rob Walker told AFP at the finish line.

The Innoptus car had a flat surface decked with photovoltaic panels and a white exterior, with narrow driver's seat sporting the number plate "SUN 08".

"If you want to create a renewable future, we still have a lot of work to do but we believe in ourselves and it's possible to do it," said Arne Besteijns, the public relations officer for Innoptus Solar.

The other teams hailed from South Africa, Qatar, Italy, Netherlands, Turkey and Germany.

They were met with confetti thrown by hundreds of cheering fans at the finish line.

Ebenhezer Tswana, a driver for one of the two South African teams, said many people did not believe their car would make it.

"I'm very happy because actually, this car we actually drove all the way," he said.

Related Links
All About Solar Energy at SolarDaily.com

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
SOLAR DAILY
University of Michigan develops efficient system for converting CO2 into ethylene
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Sep 19, 2024
Researchers at the University of Michigan have made a significant advancement toward creating sustainable fuels by developing an artificial photosynthesis system that efficiently chains carbon atoms together. The system is capable of converting carbon dioxide into ethylene, a critical hydrocarbon used in plastics, with field-leading efficiency, yield, and longevity. "The performance, or the activity and stability, is about five to six times better than what is typically reported for solar energy o ... read more

SOLAR DAILY
Engineers Develop Stronger Cement Inspired by Human Bone Structure

Scientists track plastic waste in pristine Canada marine park

Microsoft-BlackRock team to raise $100 bn for AI data centers

Apex Unveils Nova Satellite Bus Platform

SOLAR DAILY
NATO contracts SES for secure satellite communications via O3b mPOWER

Boeing advances quantum communications with 2026 space test satellite

OneWeb Technologies introduces advanced packaged PNT Solution

High-Speed Plasmonic Modulators Could Boost Space Communication Capabilities

SOLAR DAILY
SOLAR DAILY
SpaceX launches European Galileo satellites to medium Earth orbit

OneWeb Technologies unveils Astra PNT Solution for GPS-Denied Environments

Mathematical Proof Confirms Five Satellites Required for Precise GPS Navigation

Galileo satellites enter service after in-orbit testing

SOLAR DAILY
Hong Kong probe finds Cathay Airbus defect could cause 'extensive' damage

Cathay Airbus engine fire linked to cleaning: EU regulator

China's MA60 Remote Sensing Aircraft enhances scientific research capabilities

DLR showcases Future Mobility Innovations at IAA Transportation 2024

SOLAR DAILY
EU court trims Qualcomm fine to 238.7 mn euros

A smoother way to study 'twistronics'

Germany's Scholz disappointed by delay to Intel chip plant

Unveiling new spin properties in artificial materials

SOLAR DAILY
Study challenges long-held explanation for Doldrums, the equatorial low-wind region

NASA Taps BlackSky for High-Frequency Satellite Imaging to Boost Earth Science Research

EarthCARE's Atmospheric Lidar Reveals Detailed Profiles of Atmospheric Particles

NASA's Aura Satellite: A 20-Year Legacy of Atmospheric Discovery

SOLAR DAILY
Scientists call for unified global action on microplastics

Ship with 20,000 litres of diesel fuel sinks off Greenland

So where does the oceans' plastic waste come from?

Three activists risking their lives for the planet

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.