During the 2011 Veolia World Solar Challenge our team had the opportunity to race against 3 other Canadian solar teams. Nothing makes you feel more at home in a country on the other side of the world than to meet fellow Canadians working towards the same goal as you. There was no question about it, we had a great bond with those teams. Although our pit bays were all spread out from each other it didn’t stop us from updating the Montreal team on the results of the Flames vs. Canadiens hockey game, checking in on Waterloo to see how shipping went or lending U of T our drill press. The teams even got together on Canadian Thanksgiving at the end of the work day to barbeque some “Kanga Bangas” (Kangaroo Sausages) and socialize.

The race wasn’t the first time we had been in contact with many of these teams. In the summer when all the Canadian solar teams were busy planning and preparing for their trips to Australia we would exchange emails and advice on shipping and things to think about before travelling. It really made us realize how helpful it is to share experiences and information with other solar teams – especially with Canadian teams as they likely go through many of the same things (ie. vehicle shipping protocols, travel options, etc.). While we were in a race logistics meeting we realized the importance of sharing this kind of information with fellow teams. We wanted to remain competitive but share our knowledge and give support to other teams through information that was not necessarily a competitive advantage for our team. From this stemmed the idea of the “Canadian Solar Car Alliance”, an alliance between Canadian solar teams that serves as a single form of communication to share ideas and ask questions while keeping a team’s competitive secrets within the individual teams.

Our first official meeting as members of the Canadian Solar Car Alliance occurred at the end of the World Solar Challenge. Bluesky Solar Project from University of Toronto, Midnight Sun Solar Race Team from University of Waterloo, Vehicule Solaire Eclipse from Ecole de Technologie Superieure and the University of Calgary Solar Team were all in attendance. We got together, talked about how we would move forward and settled down for a team picture and the Canadian National Anthem.

I am absolutely thrilled to announce that even more Canadian solar teams have joined this alliance and communications are strong on our shared Canadian Solar Car Alliance forum. Our current Canadian solar team members are:

The University of Calgary
Vehicule Solaire Eclipse – Ecole de Technologie Superieure, Montreal
Bluesky Solar Project – University of Toronto
Midnight Sun Solar Race Team – University of Waterloo
McMaster University Solar Car Project
UBC Solar – University of British Columbia

I’m looking forward to sharing ideas with all of these teams and seeing their ideas come to fruition up until the next race!
Jordyn Troyer
Project Co-Chair, Business Manager

With the kickoff of Generation 4, I feel our sponsorship team is larger and more prepared then ever to take on the challenge to fund Generation 4.

The University of Calgary Solar Team funds our activities through sponsorships, grants, and public donations. The budget for the Solar Team not only covers the costs of construction of the solar car, but also the costs to enter races, run tours, participate in community events, and run our school visits program. It’s up to the sponsorship team, consisting entirely of students from various faculties at the University of Calgary, to research, seek out, and submit proposals to potential sponsors, get information on appropriate grants and engage the public for donations.

Currently, the sponsorship team is working hard researching and seeking out new sponsors for our Generation 4 project. The sponsorship team is new and therefore, many of the Sponsorship Coordinators are having their first opportunity to approach major corporations for sponsorship. Through this experience they obtain analytical skills through researching companies, interpersonal skills through cold calls and networking and lastly, the experiential learning that is so essential to the growth of students. As the Sponsorship Manager, I am working to instill the importance of maintaining positive sponsorship relationships with my team because it is critical to our team’s success. Overall, I cannot begin to explain how much I have learned, experienced and grown through my involvement with the University of Calgary Solar Team.

With the completion of the Schulich Axiom project, there will be some changes coming to our team’s website and sponsorship package as we transition into Generation 4. So check back in the next couple weeks for our updated website content and sponsorship package!

Dan Christie
Sponsorship Manager

To sign up for our bi-monthly newsletters, email Communications@calgarysolarteam.ca with the subject line “Newsletter”

Website    About Us    Education    Sustainability    Sponsorship    Press    Contact In This Issue Meet the Generation 4 Management Team Generation 1: Soleon Soleon was the University of Calgary Solar Team’s first ever solar car. Prompted by the announcement of the 2005 North American Solar Challenge (NASC) ending in Calgary, Alberta, a group of U of C students took on the monumental challenge to design, build, and race a vehicle powered purely by solar energy. Designed and built in only 9 months, the Solar Team was the first ever rookie team to finish NASC. Generation 2: Schulich I The team’s second solar car utilized a completely new design and space grade cells (triple gallium arsenide cells) to achieve 13th place in the 2007 World Solar Challenge, an international race across the desert from Darwin to Adelaide, Australia, and 6th place in NASC 2008. Generation 3: Schulich Axiom Our latest car, Schulich Axiom, placed 6th in the 2010 American Solar Challenge (ASC) as the team received the Mechanical Award and Sportsmanship Award. When the 2011 Veolia World Solar Challenge (WSC) regulations were released, the team faced the challenge of switching all the space grade solar cells for less efficient silicon cells to meet the new regulations concerning the use of high efficiency cells.  In less than one year, the team rebuilt the entire car and reduced its weight by almost 50 percent. The team finished WSC 2011 as the top Canadian team! Educate.Innovate.Captivate As the team has grown, we have increased our commitment to the community. Not only do we strive to improve the design of our solar cars, as solar power becomes an ever increasing reality, but we also run a school visits program and regularly participate in events around Calgary to educate the public about sustainable energy. As you can imagine, we get the most excited responses as kids and adults alike get to see a solar car first hand and speak with the team who designed, built, and raced it. U of C Solar Team News: Welcome to Generation 4. Issue 8: January 2012 Hello again! After a celebratory holiday season, and time spent with friends and family, the team has reassembled and is excited to announce the official commencement of Generation 4. Generation 4 will challenge the University of Calgary Solar Team in new ways as we increase our expectations of our motto: Educate.Innovate.Captivate. Generation 4 will build off of both the successes and challenges of previous generations as we set our sights on designing, building, and unveiling a brand new solar car. Many discussions have taken place over the last few months to plan the Solar Team’s 4th Generation, we have already begun executing our plans, and we are excited to begin to share Generation 4 with you. In today’s newsletter, we will share with you the new sub-team managers for Generation 4. We hope you enjoy hearing about their visions and goals for the upcoming generation! Meet the Generation4 Management Team Project Co-Chair – Engineering Manager “I’m excited to see the team tackle new challenges and evolve as we move into the next generation of solar car racing!” Mico Madamesila is a third year mechanical engineering student, who joined the Solar Team in his first month of university for the same reasons he is on it today – the team itself and his passion for taking engineering outside the classroom. He currently leads the team as the Project Co-Chair and Engineering Manager. Mico is looking forward to elevating the next generation of solar car racing and would love to drive the car through Calgary itself; “doing so would show our city not only the brilliance and innovation its own students have, but also the dedication they have for the environment”. ——————————————————————————————— Project Co-Chair – Business Manager “I am so excited to begin work on our team’s 4th generation project. We will be focusing on fostering a collaboration of students from many different faculties of the university to make this a great project in both areas of vehicle design and community education. I am confident that our ambitious plans for Generation 4 will excite our community and help to move us even closer to a more sustainable future.” Jordyn Troyer is in her 4th year of university, concentrating in Energy Management. She has been on the team since her first year in 2008 and currently serves as the Project Co-Chair and Business Manager. Jordyn drove Schulich Axiom in the 2011 Veolia World Solar Challenge in Australia and is looking forward to the amazing learning experience that will come with leading the team during the development of Generation 4. ——————————————————————————————— Electrical Engineering Manager “This 4th generation will redefine this team and push new limits in solar automotive technology. I am honored to be a part of it.” Daniel Benavides is a 2nd year Electrical Engineering major at the University of Calgary, currently serving as the Solar Team’s Electrical Engineering Manager. He joined the team in October 2010 because of his deep interest in alternative energy, electrical engineering, and technology. Daniel whole heartedly appreciates the unique opportunity of being at the forefront of developing new technologies in the solar energy field. ——————————————————————————————— Mechanical Engineering Manager “I am very excited for Gen 4! We have a great team who will continue to surprise the community and push the limits of engineering design and innovation!” Matt Johnson is in his 2nd year as a Mechanical Engineering major at the University of Calgary. He joined the Mechanical Team in November 2010 to learn new things, meet new people, and be involved in a race. In September 2011, Matthew took over as the Mechanical Engineering Manager for the design and construction of the Generation 4 car. ——————————————————————————————— Communications Manager “I’m excited for Generation 4 to challenge our team and reach out to the community! I love seeing the reactions of people as they see our solar cars for the first time. So often they can’t believe we can race long distances and reach highway speeds, on just solar energy. It’s amazing to see their perception of sustainable energy change as we speak!” Jodi Bengtson is in her final year studying for a Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing. She joined the team in 2010 and has since been involved in everything from coordinating school visits, to planning the team’s events, to keeping the community and Solar Team’s supporters updated through the team’s blog, social media, and media coverage. She is the team’s Communications Manager and directs the communications team in organizing all the Solar Team’s events and public relations related activities. ——————————————————————————————— Sponsorship Manager “I am very thrilled to prolong my Solar Team experience and be part of the beginning of Gen 4. Seeing the growth from Generation 3 and the new enthusiasm within our team is contagious, and I feel lucky to be a part of it.” Dan Christie is currently in his 4th year of school completing a Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing. He joined the team in 2010 and was essential in raising the remaining funds to complete the Schulich Axiom project. Dan believes that “the Solar Team has great team dynamics,” and we agree with him! Dan has taken on the role of Sponsorship Manager, and he will be working hard to fund the team’s plans for Generation 4. ——————————————————————————————— Race Logistics Manager “Generation 4 will be a key turning point for our team, we will be challenging ourselves in every way possible and this will surely be a very rewarding experience for everyone involved. I’m excited to see how things in 2012 will unfold and how our team will continue to lead sustainable energy initiatives.” Brigitte Sullivan is a fourth year business student and is currently serving as the Solar Team’s Race Logistics Manager for Generation 4. Her favorite moments on the team consist of those where all members come together for the common goals of the team. Preparing for both SAAT and WSC 2011 were both great examples of the amount of team effort exerted, as everyone’s individual efforts came together to form that great final performance. ——————————————————————————————— Accounting Manager “Gen 4 is such an exciting undertaking for the team because it gives us the chance to really turn over a new leaf and push both our design skills, and how we connect with the community.” Kaelan Goode is a third year accounting student who joined the Solar Team to meet a fun group of people and be involved in the building and completion of an interesting, unique project. He is in charge of book keeping and making sure the team’s finances are in order, but you can routinely find him in the shop, lending a hand to the engineers with the solar car construction and design discussions. We have gained great perspectives from our participation in the 2011 Veolia World Solar Challenge and cannot wait to explore the opportunities that await us as we enter our 4th Generation. To stay involved and up to date with our team, remember to visit our blog, Facebook or Twitter. Sincerely, The University of Calgary Solar Team Innovate.Captivate.Educate www.calgarysolarteam.ca

The engineering team is moving at full speed ahead as ideas, simulations and testing lives in the design meetings, the computers, and of course the workshop on Saturdays. The mechanical team is busy preparing and optimizing the future aeroshell and shape of the next generation solar car. Schulich Axiom’s suspension is being dissected and bombarded with fresh new ideas as the team explores different assemblies and more efficient configurations. Simultaneously, new material samples for carbon fiber are en route as the mechanical team looks into a new chassis construction.

Meanwhile, the electrical team is building on software and programming skills as boards and different instrumentation components are revisited. Members working on the array are cultivating tests for new in-house encapsulation methods. New systems are also finding their way onto the electrical forum boards as the team seeks to broaden the scope of the electrical system.

It’s hard to predict exactly where the next car is headed but it’s fair to say that it’s heading there quick!

Mico Madamesila
Project Co-Chair: Engineering Manager

With the start of a new semester, the University of Calgary Solar Team is getting back into the swing of things (hope everyone enjoyed their holidays!) and every sub-team is getting busy with new projects for the new year!

Check back again for news from the team as we’re all back to work this week!

PS. Schulich Axiom arrived safety back from Australia as our new year’s present! Looks like it’s in good condition so far, but our electrical and mechanical teams will be inspecting Axiom for any damage from shipping shortly.

Jodi Bengtson
Communications Manager

This is your chance to nominate a University of Calgary student you think makes a great contribution to sustainability on campus. Nominations are through the Office of Sustainability.
Department of Sustainability Call for Nominations

Our race team has been slowly arriving back in Calgary. Most of the race team took the opportunity to explore Australia after they were finished official Solar Team duties at the 2011 Veolia World Solar Challenge (WSC) at the end of October. It’s exciting to have them back! It has been a bit of a challenge having 11 of our members (including our Co-Chairs!) on the other side of the world for a few months as the Solar Team has been as busy as ever. Thankfully our managers Dan Benavides, Matt Johnson, and Brigitte Sullivan stepped up to be interm Co-Chairs to deal with any urgent matters that couldn’t be attended to from Australia! Since our race team left we’ve been making plans for the new year, recruited numerous new members, gotten all our new recruits into Solar Team mode,  had events and school visits across Calgary, and much more.

So, to welcome our race team back to Calgary, in the blizzards, click here for a youtube recap video of the race!

Jodi Bengtson

Communications Manager

It’s our 2011 Veolia World Solar Challenge Wrap Up! Our newsletter subscribers got early access to this posting and receive bi-monthly e-newsletters to keep in touch with the team. To subscribe click here!

It’s official! The 2011 Veolia World Solar Challenge has concluded, our race team members are beginning to arrive back home in Calgary, and the team as a whole is taking this opportunity to reflect on the experience. The University of Calgary Solar Team set out on the race on October 16^th, 2011, but all the elements of our project from design to construction, sponsorship to school visits, race team selection to driver preparation, and everything in between, started far before Schulich Axiom’s tires were set to motion in Australia. In today’s newsletter, unlike our typical updates, we are sharing with you an article written by our Generation 3 (Schulich Axiom) Race Logistics Manager, Christie Goss. We hope you enjoy hearing about her honest first-hand experience on the race team in this year’s race and thoughts on how our team will continue into our next generation. Of course the experience and facts behind our team and competition in the 2011 Veolia World Solar Challenge cannot be distilled into one newsletter; to read more about our challenges and victories check our archived blog posts from October 2011.

The final results have been announced for the 2011 Veolia World Solar Challenge (WSC). Schulich Axiom placed 18th out of 37 teams and was the top Canadian team of the 4 Canadian teams participating! As we begin to wind down from the excitement of the race, it is time to begin reflecting on the successes and challenges our team faced. As we evaluate our experience we will draw meaningful conclusions that can help us to determine what changes we can make in the future and build realistic goals for our next generation car.

Building, testing, planning all comes together during the scrutineering process (when race officials critique entrances cars and make sure each one meets regulations). It was a stressful time for all teams. We were asked to take our cars, our creations that we had poured every ounce of ourselves into for years, and give the experts free reign to critique, criticize and praise. As you can imagine, it is a sensitive process. I mentioned in blog posts that we were well prepared and didn’t have any large issues to address from the practical aspects of scrutineering. Dynamic scrutineering was deemed a success for our team as well. We grasped a poll position of 10^th place (based on timed laps between all 37 teams) which gave us the ability to start the race strong.

Gen 3 Race Logistics Manager, Christie Goss, proudly holds our official license plate for the race.

Our entire race team were WSC rookies. We all arrived in Australia not knowing what to expect from the country or from the race itself. This made each day more interesting as each new experience was a mystery. From approaching our first control stop and not having any clue of what to expect or being unsure of what was around each corner (though that is metaphorically speaking as there were very few turns along the Stuart Highway), we had to learn to address issues as they came to us. It was a challenge, but that is one area where I feel our team pulled together and worked hard to learn the ropes as quickly as necessary.

In terms of technical performance of Schulich Axiom, we had a few challenges that contributed to our performance. Overall, the array was not collecting as much power as we had initially expected it to. The solar car would end up consuming more power while driving than the array was collecting from the sun. This meant that we relied heavily on charging time and were still not able to travel at speeds we wanted to. It was a reality we were forced to accept but did not stop us from working as hard as we could to run on solar energy. Schulich Axiom had many strengths that balanced the issues we had – one being a flawless mechanical design. We traveled a total of 1840km on solar power alone and had only one small mechanical issue with the push rods for the fairing doors. The car was designed well and it stood up to the harsh conditions of the Australian outback.

Our advisor Dr Lynne Cowe Falls cheers on the team under the challenging conditions.

I almost feel that ‘harsh conditions’ doesn’t even do justice to the bizarre environment we faced. Between the bush fires, smoke haze, lightning, wind and rain we were starting to wonder what happened to the hot, dry desert we had been warned about. It wasn’t just the weather either; it was the company on the roads. Large road trains: at one point a HOUSE on the back of the truck taking up the entire highway; wildlife: our solar car had a close encounter with a dingo at one point; highway traffic: including the numerous other solar convoys we came across along the way. Not only are these conditions taking a toll on your solar car but they are also taking a toll on your team. You don’t anticipate the emotional effects of the race on the members. It can be stressful (especially when things are not going the way you had planned) but it can also leave you feeling excited, anxious, frustrated, nervous and joyous – or in my experience, all those emotions at once.

Many thoughtful designs, sleepless nights and countless hours of planning went into participating in WSC. I think one of our initial mistakes was not solidifying a solid and ultimate goal for ourselves as a team at the beginning of this generation. Everyone had their own goals, based on their own perception of how they thought the car would perform, what areas of the team they were most involved in, previous race experience and casual conversations with other members. In the excitement of every area of our growing team, we never had a formal discussion about realistic expectations of how we would do in the race. Although it’s impossible to tell how this oversight effected our placing, we should have set a goal as a team so that each member was working under the same pretenses and towards one common outcome.

Now the one thing I can’t emphasize enough is the student experience drawn from an accomplishment of this magnitude. From all the challenges I just mentioned (and the many, many details I have not even began to explain) we have learned lessons that we never would have in a classroom, on campus or even in our city. These hands on, real life experience put you in situations that you would never be faced with in your everyday life. The challenges push you to analyze, to adapt and to develop creative solutions to whatever stands in front of you. So we walk away from this not only a stronger team, a more knowledgeable team but also as stronger individuals. So I conclude by saying what a valuable experience this has been for all involved and continue to encourage everyone to ask questions to those who were lucky enough to take part in this race. I also encourage us all to continue to celebrate our successes. We are proud to be the top Canadian team, proud to have driven over half a continent on solar power and proud to represent a great city in an amazing country.

The team celebrates with a traditional dip in the fountain at the finish line.

The team sincerely appreciates the amazing involvement of our Generation 3 (Schulich Axiom) sponsors:
The Antje Graupe Pryor Foundation
Schulich School of Engineering
ConocoPhillips Canada
EPCOR
BP
Haskayne School of Business
Shell Canada
Nexen
Day4Energy
The City of Calgary
BRC Engineering

We have gained great perspectives from our participation in the 2011 Veolia World Solar Challenge and cannot wait to explore the opportunities that await us as we approach our 4th Generation.

To stay involved and up to date with our team, remember to visit our facebook or twitter.

Sincerely,
The University of Calgary Solar Team

Hello!

Christie and I would like to share a link with you all of a blog post by Lucy Fielding from the Cambridge University Eco Racing Team. This post does a great job of describing the challenges of the “other” 34 teams on the race.

http://www.cuer.co.uk/blog/wsc/2011/11/03/lucys-race-report-2/

Thank you Lucy!

Jordyn Troyer

Project Co-Chair, Business Manager