Solar Cup 2017
The Solar Cup takes place for the 10th time in Latvia. There were 26 teams from different schools registered for the competition. All the participants received the kits of solar cells and engines. On June 3, 24 teams each consisting of 1-3 people arrived. It was total of 56 pupils from Aloja, Jelgava, Liepāja, Mālpils, Kalēti, Vārkava, Madona, Naukšēni, Rauna and Riga schools as well as from Jūrmala and Lielvārde youth interest education centres,
At 10:00 the event was opened by Deputy Director of ISSP UL Andris Šternbergs, some guiding instructions were given by event’s main organizers and referees, ISSP UL researchers Ainārs Knoks and Pēteris Lesničenoks.
The event also showcased real zero-emission vehicles - a solar electric tricycle and an electric-hydrogen tricycle developed by the ISSP UL.
The absolute winners of the Solar Cup 2016 were determined based on a number of criteria – home work (model sketches and video on how they made their model vehicle), performance in the competition as well as knowledge test by completing a questionnaire with 10 questions on green energy. In the first place with 35 points was team of Jelgava Secondary School No. 4 “Saules Mehi” (science teacher Aina Pitrāne), who received the tablet PCs provided by EU house (represented by European Parliament Information Office in Latvia); second place - Rauna Secondary School team "Jaunie Ģēniji " (33 points, physics teacher Brigita Zemele, whose students have been participating in the Solar Cup since 2008), and third place – Alojas Ausekļa Secondary School team "KM-EB-DB" (29 points, teacher Juris Alps).
Ilze Dimanta, a young scientist from Faculty of Biology, University of Latvia, based on her own experience, read a lecture on “Woman’s way in Science”, while Jānis Kleperis, head of Laboratory of Hydrogen Energy Materials of ISSP UL spoke about the 10 years of the Solar Cup.
The biggest gratitude to the supporters of the event – the Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia (financial support for People’s class parts, technical preparation and organization of the event), Latvian Academy of Sciences (“Latvieši un Latvija” in 4 volumes), representation of European Commission in Latvia (tablet PCs), JSC “Latvenergo”, Riga Energy Agency, “Viessmann” Ltd., LMT Ltd., IEC “Lielvārdi” and Ministry of Economics of the Republic of Latvia.
The Ministry of Economics was represented by the Senior Desk Officer Ingūna Draudiņa, who awarded Certificates of Gratitude and presents to 3 nominations of Ministry’s choice (Most promising performance, Most inspiring flight, Most innovative solution) and Jānis Kleperis, researcher at the ISSP UL for his dedication and 10 year input in the strengthening of future innovation potential by working with school youth in the field of renewable energy resources.
Thank you to the participants who knew how to move their model vehicles both on land, water and even in the air; thank you to the organizers – ISSP UL team with the emerging scientists and doctoral students Pēteris Lesničenoks, Ainārs Knoks, Artis Volkovs, Ingars Lukošēvičs, Artūrs Gruduls, Vladimirs Ņemcevs, Alberts Kristiņš, Guna Krieķe, Meldra Ķemere, Jūlija Hodakovska, as well as – Anna Dorondo and Anna Knoka.
Information: http://www.cfi.lu.lv/saules-kauss/
Contacts:
Pēteris Lesničenoks: peteris.lesnicenoks@h2lv.eu
Jānis Kleperis: kleperis@latnet.lv