While making their way from Pretoria to Cape Town in a solar powered vehicle the University of Johannesburg’s (UJ’s) Solar Team is not just competing in an exciting race, but also highlighting the exciting opportunities in the fields of alternative energy and engineering.
The team is participating again in the Sasol Solar Challenge, which will start in Pretoria on Saturday, 27 September and ends in Cape Town on Saturday, 04 October. 14 Local and international teams have entered for this year’s challenge.
“This challenge is more than just a race. It is a platform to foster research in alternative energy and fuel and to develop local expertise whilst encouraging industry participation and community engagement on environmental issues. The UJ Solar Car project is now part of a commercial incubator owned by UJ called Resolution Circle,” says Ms Nickey Janse van Rensburg, a lecturer in the Mechanical Engineering Science Department and the UJ Energy Movement Programme Manager.
The UJ Energy Movement is a programme promoting research, education and industry participation on alternative energy issues at UJ in collaboration with Resolution Circle (a UJ owned research and development and training initiative).The UJ Energy Movement programme is designed in an overlapping three year cycle, where students participate as undergraduates, mentored by postgraduate students. Then they themselves enter into the postgraduate programme for two years, mentoring junior teams and building the next generation solar vehicle.
“UJ is committed to developing future fit students by equipping them with both academic and practical skills. The Solar Car project is a multidisciplinary programme managed by students from the budget to the final project and intends to prepare industry fit students through practical experience.”
The UJ Solar Team came second in the Olympia Class of the 2012 Sasol Solar Challenge race and was awarded the SSC 2012 Innovation Award. The team was highly commended by The South African National Energy Association, and received an award in 2013.
Project Manager, Mr Warren Hurter, who has been part of the UJ Solar Team since they started as undergraduates in 2011 said their new vehicle, Ilanga II is one of the most advanced solar powered vehicles produced by UJ students and industry partners to date.
“We have built one of the smallest solar cars in the world with some of the best solar technology available and are ready to take on the challenge, which requires a combination of technology and a sound race strategy to be competitive,” says Mr Hunter.
The UJ Solar team will have a group of 25 people, including UJ students from various disciplines and levels, lecturers, academics and industry partner representatives travelling across the country and participating in educational stops along the way.
“We look forward to telling learners, parents, teachers and other interested people about the need for alternative energy, the work being done at UJ and how others can become involved in either research or studying for a career in the fields of science and engineering and specifically relating to alternative energy,” says Ms Janse van Rensburg.
The UJ Solar team’s itinerary for the Sasol Solar Challenge is as follows:
The team is participating again in the Sasol Solar Challenge, which will start in Pretoria on Saturday, 27 September and ends in Cape Town on Saturday, 04 October. 14 Local and international teams have entered for this year’s challenge.
“This challenge is more than just a race. It is a platform to foster research in alternative energy and fuel and to develop local expertise whilst encouraging industry participation and community engagement on environmental issues. The UJ Solar Car project is now part of a commercial incubator owned by UJ called Resolution Circle,” says Ms Nickey Janse van Rensburg, a lecturer in the Mechanical Engineering Science Department and the UJ Energy Movement Programme Manager.
The UJ Energy Movement is a programme promoting research, education and industry participation on alternative energy issues at UJ in collaboration with Resolution Circle (a UJ owned research and development and training initiative).The UJ Energy Movement programme is designed in an overlapping three year cycle, where students participate as undergraduates, mentored by postgraduate students. Then they themselves enter into the postgraduate programme for two years, mentoring junior teams and building the next generation solar vehicle.
“UJ is committed to developing future fit students by equipping them with both academic and practical skills. The Solar Car project is a multidisciplinary programme managed by students from the budget to the final project and intends to prepare industry fit students through practical experience.”
The UJ Solar Team came second in the Olympia Class of the 2012 Sasol Solar Challenge race and was awarded the SSC 2012 Innovation Award. The team was highly commended by The South African National Energy Association, and received an award in 2013.
Project Manager, Mr Warren Hurter, who has been part of the UJ Solar Team since they started as undergraduates in 2011 said their new vehicle, Ilanga II is one of the most advanced solar powered vehicles produced by UJ students and industry partners to date.
“We have built one of the smallest solar cars in the world with some of the best solar technology available and are ready to take on the challenge, which requires a combination of technology and a sound race strategy to be competitive,” says Mr Hunter.
The UJ Solar team will have a group of 25 people, including UJ students from various disciplines and levels, lecturers, academics and industry partner representatives travelling across the country and participating in educational stops along the way.
“We look forward to telling learners, parents, teachers and other interested people about the need for alternative energy, the work being done at UJ and how others can become involved in either research or studying for a career in the fields of science and engineering and specifically relating to alternative energy,” says Ms Janse van Rensburg.
The UJ Solar team’s itinerary for the Sasol Solar Challenge is as follows:
- Saturday, 27 Sep: Pretoria – Sasolburg – Kroonstad
(There will be a public educational exhibit at thein Sasolburg)
- Sunday, 28 September: Kroonstad – Winburg – Bloemfontein
- Monday, 29 September: Bloemfontein – Edenburg – Colesberg
- Tuesday, 30 September: Gariep (Colesberg) – Middelburg – Graaff-Reinet
(There will be a public educational exhibit at the Hoër Volkskool in Graaff-Reinet)
- Wednesday, 1 October: Graaff-Reinet – Jansenville – Port Elizabeth
(There will be a public educational exhibit at Kings Beach in Port Elizabeth)
- Thursday, 2 October: Port Elizabeth – Stormsriver – Knysna
(There will be a public educational exhibit at the Loerie Park Stadium in Knysna)
- Friday, 3 October: Knysna – Heidelberg – Swellendam
- Saturday, 4 October: Swellendam – Caledon – Cape Town
Links:
Follow the UJ Solar Car on: http://www.ujsolar.co.za/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UJSolarCar
Twitter: @UJSolarCar
Sasol Solar challenge website:www.solarchallenge.org.zaSaturday, 27 Sep: Pretoria – Sasolburg – Kroonstad
(There will be a public educational exhibit at thein Sasolburg)
- Sunday, 28 September: Kroonstad – Winburg – Bloemfontein
- Monday, 29 September: Bloemfontein – Edenburg – Colesberg
- Tuesday, 30 September: Gariep (Colesberg) – Middelburg – Graaff-Reinet
(There will be a public educational exhibit at the Hoër Volkskool in Graaff-Reinet)
- Wednesday, 1 October: Graaff-Reinet – Jansenville – Port Elizabeth
(There will be a public educational exhibit at Kings Beach in Port Elizabeth)
- Thursday, 2 October: Port Elizabeth – Stormsriver – Knysna
(There will be a public educational exhibit at the Loerie Park Stadium in Knysna)
- Friday, 3 October: Knysna – Heidelberg – Swellendam
- Saturday, 4 October: Swellendam – Caledon – Cape Town
Links:
Follow the UJ Solar Car on: http://www.ujsolar.co.za/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UJSolarCar
Twitter: @UJSolarCar
Sasol Solar challenge website: www.solarchallenge.org.za
