A team of 16 students from Rabat National School of Mineral Industry in Morocco is preparing to unveil a solar-powered vehicle in Australia. The vehicle called Eleadora 2 (“the gift of Sun”) will participate in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge to be held in Australia by October 2019.
According to the DESERTEC Knowledge Platform, 23% of the energy consumed in Morocco is derived from coal and 96% of the fossil fuel are imported. It is not surprising that the high cost of fuel has led students to research on solar solutions in the country.
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The Bridgestone World Solar Challenge is an event that showcases innovative transport solutions powered by solar energy. The global event which began in 1987 aims to promote research and development in solar-powered transport solutions. Participants flock in from different universities and corporate organizations from all over the world.
The Moroccan team has previously participated in the Moroccan Solar Race Challenge and the Somabay Egyptian Solar Challenge. They started off with two product prototypes in 2017, named Fennec and Eleadora 1. Having received financial support from the BMCE Bank of Africa, Crouzet, Nareva and other well-wishers, they set out to improve their product. Years of designing and redesigning led to the Eleadora 2 design that offered them a spot in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge. This will be the first time for Morocco to participate in the event.
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