SESCI home page|Canadian Solar Discovery Challenge]
OTTAWA - The Solar Energy Society of Canada Inc. (SESCI) is very disappointed to announce the postponment of the 1997 Canadian Solar Discovery Challenge, a 900-km solar car race between London, Ontario and Ottawa, Ontario via Toronto, Kingston and Montréal. The race was to have taken place from May 31st to June 3rd and would have given the participating 10 university teams valuable vehicle road testing and strategic development early in the North American solar car racing season. The race also would have provided the Canadian teams with the opportunity to promote their cars, programs and Canadian sponsors in the only Canadian solar car race.
"We found that there was a pronounced lack of interest in the race from the Canadian Corporate sector," said Alexandra McKirdy, Project Director, "The support for the race came from the Federal Government, not the car manufacturers, high tech companies or manufacturers, all of whom should have an interest in the Canadian students participating in the solar car projects."
This unique solar-powered car race had secured the participation of 8 Canadian post-secondary solar car teams: Conestoga College, McGill University, The University of Ottawa, Queen's University, the University of British Columbia, the University of Toronto, the University of Waterloo and the University of Western Ontario and also 2 American teams: Purdue University and Yale University.
Following the success of the 1996 Canadian Solar Discovery Challenge, SESCI planned to host the race to showcase leading-edge designs and technologies, environmental and engineering education, and Canadian solar car teams. The race was developed to educate the Canadian public about solar and renewable energy and related technologies, promote the involvement of university and college students in technical research and development, specifically of solar-powered cars, and provide an international forum for Canadian Science and Technology.
A new SESCI initiative related to the Canadian Solar Discovery Challenge, the Solar Youth Day, is still being held at the Museum of Science and Technology in Ottawa, Ontario on June 4th, 1997. The Solar Youth Day has been developed to educate students, particularly Grades 7-10, about renewable energy and sustainable development through an interactive display involving the university solar cars and other hands-on exhibits.
-30-
For more information, contact Alexandra McKirdy Solar Energy Society of Canada Inc. tel: 613-234-4151, fax 613-234-2988 email: sesci@sympatico.ca Web: www.newenergy.org/newenergy/csdc.html
For queries, please forward to SESCI at: (e-mail) sesci@sympatico.ca
Last update: 12 May 1997
URL:http://www.newenergy.org/newenergy/sesci_media_release.html