Sikat II finishes 17th in gruelling World Solar run

MANILA, Philippines - Harsh weather and battery problems did not stop Sikat II, the third solar car built by Team Solar Philippines, from finishing the 2011 World Solar Challenge (WSC) held in Australia last week.

Education Secretary Armin Luistro yesterday congratulated the team from De La Salle University which placed 17th in a field of 37 that finished the 3,000-kilometer competition for solar-powered cars that started in Darwin on Oct. 16 and ended in Adelaide last Saturday.

Luistro, former president of the DLSU system, was in Australia for an educational trip organized by the Australian Agency for International Development with two other government officials but decided to stay behind to show his support for team Solar.

He said rains, overcast skies and extreme heat prevailed over the race course.

“The weather was a little more harsh than in previous races. Many teams encountered problems with their solar cars. Marami ang nasiraan (Many suffered malfunctions),” Luistro said.

A team from South Korea was forced out of the competition because of serious technical problems in their car entry.

Sikat II suffered battery problems last Friday but the team was able to fix it to finish the race.

“We are very happy for successfully and safely finishing the race from Darwin to Adelaide in six days,” the team said in a statement.

The 17th place effort was lower than the 2007 team’s 12th place finish although there were only 20 solar car entries five years ago.

“Finishing the grueling race was the biggest accomplishment for the team,” the team said.

The World Solar Challenge is considered as the most prestigious solar car contest in the world. For this year’s competition, 39 teams from 20 countries participated.

Before leaving for Australia, Team Solar Philippines underwent months of rigorous training to prepare them for the harsh conditions of the Australian Outback and the long race hours.

The team is composed of 22 engineering students and faculty from the DLSU Mechanical Engineering and Electronics and Communications Engineering Departments. 

Sikat II, this year’s Philippine entry to the competition, was shipped to Darwin ahead of the team last month.

It sports a sleek ad more aerodynamic design as well as more efficient solar panels.

The body is made of lightweight carbon fiber-honeycomb composite. It is lighter and faster than its predecessors Sinag and Sikat I, with a top speed of 110 kilometers per hour on its two kilowatt motor. It weighs in at less than 180 kilograms, at least 20 kilograms lighter than Sikat I and at least 110 kilograms lighter than Sinag.

Sikat II converts solar energy to electricity by photovoltaic cells. The car is outfitted with solar cells provided by Laguna-based manufacturer Sunpower Philippines.

In 2007, the country’s first solar car, finished 12th among 40 participants in the 2007 World Solar Challenge.   

The Sikat II project is headed by Dr. Pag-Asa Gaspillo and supported by mechanical team heads Martin Kalaw, Isidro Marfori III, and electrical team head Jack Catalan.