In 1987, when Danishadventurer Hans Thorstrup organized the World Solar Challenge (WSC), he more than created an annual 3,000-kilometre race across Australia, from Darwin to Adelaide – he, in fact, established the “ultimate test in the efficient use of the sun as a source of sustainable energy,” since the event “aims to work for a clean and green environment by motivating research and development for alternative power sources.”

But while over 300 entries from all over the world have already joined the WSC since its inception, the solar journey only began for the Philippines, specifically on September 1, 2007, when SINAG, the country’s first Philippine solar-powered car, was launched to participate in the 2007 WSC.

A seemingly small endeavor with large repercussions.

YOUTH POWER

Considered as “the embodiment of a threefold message: that the Philippines is blessed with great potential for tapping renewable energy sources such as solar power; that the Philippines produces some of the most efficient solar cells in the world; and that we as a nation can stand alongside the rest of the world in developing solar power technology,” SINAG was actually designed and constructed only by students from the Mechanical Engineering and the Electronic and Communications Engineering Departments of De La Salle University (DLSU) in the city of Manila, with the supervision of Professor Rene Fernandez.

“By undertaking this global challenge, SINAG takes us one step closer to finally harnessing the full power of the sun,” Fernandez says, adding that SINAG is “radiating with homegrown Filipino talent in every aspect of its design.”

WORKING TOGETHER

SINAG is a 150 kilogram car with three major parts: the mechanical system, the electrical system, and the shell, all “working together to keep the car going,” Fernandez says.

SINAG’s mechanical system is “straightforward,” making use of an ultra-light monocoque frame with three wheels – one heavy-duty rear wheel to drive the car forward, and two front wheels to steer. “Amazingly, in yet another nod to Filipino ingenuity, SINAG’s steering system consists of surplus motorbike front forks and wheels – the same kind found on public utility tricycles,” Fernandez says.

The most distinctive part of the car is on top of its shell, which is also the most visible part of its electrical system: the 400 solar cells that generate a combined output of as much as two kilowatt (kW). Philippine-made, the model A-300 solar cells (from SunPower) are made of monocrystalline silicon with SunPower’s exclusive back-contact technology that give the cells a smooth black surface, which, in turn, helps the cells convert more of the sun’s energy into electrical energy. These solar cells are connected to the car’s electrical system, powering the rear-wheel motor to propel the car forward at speeds of up to 100 kilometers per hour.

The car’s shell, made of pre-scored Termanto PVC boards covered with carbon fiber weave, is “one that’s very aerodynamic, with a 0.1 drag coefficient (versus the average drag coefficient of 0.3). The smaller the drag coefficient, the less energy would be needed to move the car forward.”

BEYOND WINNING

Obviously, winning the WSC was the main driver in the making of SINAG. But more than that, according to Fernandez, SINAG is solid proof of how far a nation can go to achieve a promising and clean future.

With the escalating interest in the continued development of sustainable energy, SINAG’s sponsors have already formed the Philippine Solar Car Challenge Society Inc., (PSCS) with the aim to “launch and pursue other projects that will similarly spotlight the potentials of solar energy, and the Filipino capacity to harness it for the benefit of the country.” Aside from DLSU, SINAG’s sponsors also include Ford Group Philippines, Motolite, Philippine Airlines, San Miguel Corporation, Shell, SunPower, and Ventus.

“With SINAG, we can prove to the world that the Filipino can stand shoulder to shoulder with other progressive nations in developing solar power as an environmentally-safe, alternative energy source,” Fernandez ends.