This year, Twence is one of the sponsors of Solar Team Twente, which is taking part in the Panasonic World Solar Challenge that will be held in Australia from 21 through 28 October. In this competition, teams from around the world race their solar-powered cars along a 3100km route from Darwin to Adelaide. The only permissible fuel is solar energy. The Challenge is not just about which team finishes the race first, but also about the development and exchange of innovative ideas about the use of renewable energy.

Based on its corporate philosophy—which includes endeavouring to attain “a sustainable return for people and the environment” and being “future-oriented in a dynamic region”—Twence feels this team is worthy of support.

It is the second time that a Solar Team Twente, made up of 16 students from the University of Twente and the Saxion Universities of Applied Sciences, is taking part in this competition. Two years ago, the team finished in ninth place and was the best-performing newcomer. This year, the team is aiming to finish in the top three. Their most important competitor is the team from the Delft University of Technology, which by now is one of the veteran participants in this race.

Team Twente is confident that they will do very well this year. “That is partly because now there is a new class that places more demands on the car,” says team member Eric Elshof. “Not only does the driver need to be able to sit up straighter, but there is also a restriction as to the amount of surface area that can be covered with solar cells. That means teams won’t be able to spend tons of money to cover the car with a huge number of cells anymore. This way, we will be better able to deal with the competition on our budget.” For some time now, the team has been working hard on designing its car, which they will build in the coming months. By the summer they should be far enough along to start testing the new car.