High-service distributor of electronic, electrical, mechanical and industrial products RS Components SA is advancing research and development in alternative energy through its sponsorship of R1-million worth of products to the University of Johannesburg’s (UJ’s) Energy Movement programme for the development of a solar-powered vehicle.

UJ’s solar-powered car will compete against teams from across the globe in the 2014 Sasol Solar Challenge from September 27 to October 4.

RS Components SA GM Brian Andrew tells Engineering News that research and development (R&D) in the alternative-energy space is crucial, especially in South Africa.

“We saw an opportunity to become part of a project that will enable students to not only get real-life working experience and support to become industry-ready but also contribute – through a sponsorship –to supporting the research and development of alternative energy to protect our environment in the future,” he expresses.

RS Components, one of the three main sponsors of the UJ solar-powered car, offered the university the opportunity to choose from the company’s range of 500 000 products for the development of the car and support equipment for the race.

The company will also be present at each stage of the race to provide an opportunity for its customers to learn more about the UJ Energy Movement and engage with local learners about technology and the environment.

This will be the first event of this kind in which RS Components will be involved, and Andrew states that it is one of the most important events, as alternative energy is vital to a country, such as South Africa, where electricity supply is a challenge and fuel is costly.

He hopes that through events, such as the Solar Challenge, R&D will pave the way for contributions in alternative energy and that students will be supported to learn new scarce skills especially relevant to South Africa, and that they become industry-ready.

The 2 000-km-long Sasol Solar Challenge will begin in Pretoria and continue through Kroonstad, Bloemfontein, Colesberg, Graaff-Reinet, Port Elizabeth, Knysna and Swellendam, and end in Cape Town.

UJ Solar Team project manager Warren Hurter says the Solar Challenge is a distance race and teams will have an opportunity to increase their daily distance by driving loops, varying from 58 km up to 132 km.

Loops can be driven more than once, which will enable competitors to travel as far as they can on a day.

“Winners will be determined using different criteria for the race, such as technological and engineering expertise, average time and distance, average energy consumption and cars’ average battery use,” Hurter states.

Meanwhile, Andrew believes that, while there is much R&D to be done to contribute to solar vehicles becoming a reality, solar power, in general, is becoming more popular in South Africa. However, he says that, while it is becoming a viable solution, implementation is slow.

“Solar power is still a costly exercise, but this is increasingly being considered as we need to consider the long-term future and challenge of accessing raw materials in South Africa. As an environmentally responsible electronics company, we are excited to see what the future holds particularly with regard to solar-powered vehicles,” he concludes.