17 October 2011
As I write this article, the Team Solar Philippines (TSP) from De la Salle University would now be in Australia pitting its Sikat II solar car against 37 other cars, also built by engineering students, from 20 nations. The race, a good part of it probably covered already by the time this article hits the press, started yesterday, October 16 and will last up to the 23rd. Participating cars will traverse a little more than 3,000 kilometers of highways, from Darwin, through the Australian outback, and into Adelaide, utilizing only the energy from the sun – gathered through photovoltaic cells – as their source of power.
TSP is a group composed of students and professors from the Mechanical Engineering, and Communications and Electronics Engineering Departments of DLSU, who designed and built the car themselves. Sikat II is a third generation car, the earlier ones being Sinag and Sikat I, which were only the other two solar car prototypes built over the last four and a half years since the project was started. It is worth noting that when Sinag, the first ever locally made solar car competed, it placed 11th among 40 participants. This was gratifying given that the team started from scratch and had only a year to build the car to participate in a race that has been participated in by others since 1987.
Needless to say, the current car, Sikat II, is a better unit, having benefited from the experience gained from the first two earlier prototypes; it is said to be faster, being capable of a top speed of 110 kph with its 2 kw motor that draws power from its 4kwh capacity Lithium-ion batteries. At 180 kgs, it is lighter than Sinag by 110 kgs , or about 38%, and the sleek and more aerodynamically designed body, made of carbon fiber composite, is equipped on the top side with Filipino made solar panels from the Laguna based Sunpower Philippines – currently considered as the producer of the most efficient photovoltaic, or solar, cells in the world. Given these improvements, the team hopes to improve on the 11th place performance of Sinag. They aspire to land in at least the top five positions in this 2011 race.
The accomplishments of the TSP was made possible through the financial and logistical support given by the Philippine Solar Car Challenge Society, Inc. headed by Mr. Federico Lopez (Chairman) and Mr. Ramon Agustines (President), and composed of First Gen Corp., its sister company First Philec Solar Corp, Energy Development Corp., and Sunpower Corporation, all of which are involved in the development and production of clean energy. Ford Philippines, Motolite and Shell likewise also participated as corporate sponsors.
It seems that the TSP is the only participating team from a developing country, which should somehow make us proud as it shows that our country, despite being bunched with the third world, is also capable of making inroads with respect to renewable energy, given our accomplishments with geothermals (being the 2nd biggest producer worldwide), and now with this “solar car” development. A lot more developments along this area can be expected as this pioneering accomplishment can make the others realize its possibilities, and recognize the attached opportunities. This, hopefully, will spur those with technical as well as those with financial capabilities to set their sights on tapping solar energy, given that the country (according to the Department of Energy) receives a daily average of 5.1 kw-hrs of solar radiation per sq.m. of land.
The Sikat II Project is headed by Dr. Pag-Asa Gaspillo, while the TSP/Sikat II team leader, as well as electrical head, is Jack Catalan. When interviewed as to what drives them regarding this project, the members of the group mentioned the following: to generate pride for the Philippines and raise awareness for the vehicle-technology skill and potential in the country; demonstrate , and interest the youth in, technology; inspire other young people to become engineers; push Filipino engineers to work towards more ecologically friendly technology and to develop technological solutions to abet the further deterioration of the environment.
Well, regardless of what the outcome of the race would be for the TSP/Sikat II, for me, they already deserve congratulations as they have definitely already gained valuable points for the country. Just by being able to go back and and participate in the WSC race again, and with a much improved car, I think that they have demonstrated the technical mettle of the Filipinos. And unquestionably, they have caused the Philippines to be included in the exclusive list of 20 countries that have the intellectual and craft skills to produce (and implement an improvement program for) a solar car. With this, as a Filipino, I salute and thank the DLSU TSP/Sikat team for their accomplishment and what to me is the honor that they gained for the country. Therefore, ANIMO LA SALLE! --- coming from a Mapuan Mechanical Engineer.
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