Pinoy solar car team preps for 'scrutineering' in Australia

The Philippine contingent to the 2011 World Solar Challenge (WSC) has arrived in Darwin, Australia and is now gearing up for the solar-powered car race to begin on Sunday, October 16. In a phone interview with GMA News Online, the head of Team Solar Philippines Jack Catalan shares that the team has been "in high spirits" since arriving in Darwin. The Sikat II solar car is now parked in its designated garage at the Hidden Valley Motorsports Complex for tune-up, in preparation for the scrutineering to be conducted by the WSC committee, beginning on Wednesday, October 12. Scrutineering for Sikat II is scheduled at noontime on Thursday, October 13. Catalan shares that all solar cars entering the competition undergo this process to determine whether WSC standards are met.

Need for scrutineering "It is only when the solar cars pass the scrutineering can contingents get a go signal to join the race," says Catalan. "Among the things the WSC checks are the cars' technical specs and whether they pass safety regulations. They must be up to certain standards," he adds. Catalan says that the WSC has introduced at least a couple of rules this year: they have become stricter regarding the canopy design and the protective aspect of the battery management systems. Asked whether there were any difficulties in shipping Sikat II to Australia, Catalan says the solar car arrived ahead of the team a month ago in perfect condition, although there had been a week's delay in its release. High hopes for Sikat II Team Solar Philippines believes Sikat II will fare better than Sinag, which finished 12th in the 2007 competition, after seeing it perform in last week's test run. The World Solar Challenge is touted the most prestigious solar car race in the world. Catalan says that most people think institutions are only wasting their money building up solar cars that aren't useful on public roads, when in truth, events like the WSC are done to promote and develop the technology that will be the basis for our world's future cars. "The goal is to give a boost to the development of technology," he says. Building around this goal, the WSC gives participants the chance to immerse themselves in technology and opens up opportunities to grow within the field. — TJD, GMA News