Sasol has just announced its title sponsorship of the Sasol Solar Challenge South Africa 2012, which is a two week, countrywide endurance challenge of specially engineered solar-powered cars.
Held every two years, under the auspices of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), this eco-efficiency challenge allows teams from around the world to congregate in South Africa to participate and demonstrate the sophistication and performance of solar-powered vehicles.
“We’re very excited about the Sasol Solar Challenge. Sasol is increasingly moving into the renewable energy space through Sasol New Energy and this is an ideal demonstration of the versatility of solar technology,” said Sasol New Energy Managing Director, Henri Loubser.
Sasol Solar Challenge, Race Director Winstone Jordaan, representing the Advanced Energy Foundation said, “Sasol is the ideal partner in this challenge, as they start exploring solar technology for the business. The Sasol Solar Challenge South Africa ranks as one of the top global events of its kind because of the unique South African terrain and will put solar technology to the ultimate test,”
The two week long solar challenge kicks off in Pretoria on September 18, 2012 and will span approximately 5 000 kilometres around the country. Competitors will compete in this endurance challenge in stages with the winners determined by three different criteria during its entirety – average time on each stage, average energy consumption and the car’s average battery usage.
It will also give an opportunity for both 2-3 wheeler solar cars to participate, widening the field of participants.
As the challenge progresses throughout South Africa, communities will have the opportunity to experience the vehicles during rest stages, which will create a better understanding of the benefits of solar power and educate the wider public on this technology.
About Sasol:
Sasol is an integrated energy and chemicals company, driven by innovation. We add value to coal, natural oil and gas reserves, using these feedstocks to produce liquid fuels, fuel components and chemicals through our proprietary processes. We mine coal in South Africa and produce natural gas and condensate in Mozambique, oil in Gabon and shale gas in Canada.
We continue to advance our upstream oil and gas activities in West and South Africa, the Asia Pacific region and Canada. In South Africa, we refine imported crude oil and retail liquid fuels through our network of 406 Sasol and Exel service stations, which include five Sasol branded integrated energy centres, and supply gas to industrial customers. We also supply fuels to other licensed wholesalers in the region. We have chemical manufacturing and marketing operations in South Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the Americas. We are focused on commercialising our gas-to-liquids (GTL) and coal-to-liquids (CTL) technology internationally.
We employ approximately 33 700 people worldwide and remain one of South Africa’s largest investors in capital projects, skills development and technological research and development.
About the Advanced Energy Foundation:
The Advanced Energy Foundation (AEF), is a registered Section 21 company, the foundation has a desire to excite the youth of South Africa to participate and not simply observe, this is achieved through various projects and programs, which are run by the AEF and their partners. The main objective of the foundation is to promote innovation, science and technology in education. This is achieved by initiating and running practical programs and initiatives that advance technological development and innovation in transportation and energy production and management. For 2012, the AEF will again be the organisation that will run the Sasol Solar Challenge in South Africa.
Additional Information
The AEF seeks projects that can embody some or all of the following attributes:
Renewable energy technologies (specifically photovoltaic or “solar cells”, wind, hydrogen and other safe and environmentally friendly methods of generating and storing energy)
Educational excellence in particular science, engineering and mathematics, but also generally in all disciplines
Creative integration of business, technical and scientific expertise across multiple disciplines
Understanding of marketing, management and financial skills needed to execute large and complex projects “Hands-on” experience for students and engineers to develop and demonstrate their technical and creative abilities, skills that will be invaluable in industry
Environmental consciousness, awareness of our environment and the impact that we have on the environment
Sportsmanship, friendship and co-operation, with the opportunity to build lasting friendships across the barriers of geography, religion, race or economic status
International opportunities for participants to take their teams to compete in international events
Intellectual Challenge where winners must employ research, strategy and insight to win events
Sustainable and optimal utilization and management of energy and energy resources
Stimulation of young minds to get young people to be excited about careers in science and engineering, and to have a will to want to change the world and a belief in themselves that they can.
last updated: 21 May 2012
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