Zero race

Do you guys know about this? Seems pretty cool to me. Zerotrace

That sounded like a great race until I got to this.

The rules of the Zero Race state that the race teams must produce their own electricity using renewable sources such as solar, wind, wave and/or geothermal. This electricity must be then fed into the grid system in the home country of each team to offset the electricity used by the vehicles during the race.

If you are going to do a zero emission race, it's needs to be zero emission where the race is, not in the home country of the team. That's a cop-out. Give the racers the solar panels and wind turbines and send them on the way. That would be worth the watch.

Wow. Five years ago and I've never heard of it. I should probably get out more, I mean get my head out of the sand more.

Kind of a different version of the Solar Car race that's been going on since the early 90's. Just opens up the type of energy produced.

I'll make power in Puerto Rico, where there's always wind, and the sun is nice and high over you.

Toyman01 wrote: That sounded like a great race until I got to this. The rules of the Zero Race state that the race teams must produce their own electricity using renewable sources such as solar, wind, wave and/or geothermal. This electricity must be then fed into the grid system in the home country of each team to offset the electricity used by the vehicles during the race. If you are going to do a zero emission race, it's needs to be zero emission where the race is, not in the home country of the team. That's a cop-out. Give the racers the solar panels and wind turbines and send them on the way. That would be worth the watch.

I can see the value. If it's about promoting renewable energy, putting the home country requirement on it helps create a situation where renewables actually exist in the home country. They're working. It's a good counter to the "renewables don't work here" argument.

I guess my point is, producing enough renewable energy to power a car is easy. I can set up 100 acres of solar in Nevada, and have all the energy I need in Asia, because I don't have to transport it. Problem solved, there is no technology stretch.

Racing should be about pushing the envelope. It should be a challenge, it should stretch the limits of what is capable.

Produce that energy, with a mobile system, that can be carried with the vehicle, during the race. Then you are pushing the envelope.