Joining two oceans by solar power
When in 1982, in a December Sunday, on a beach in Perth, The Quiet Achiever, the first car completely powered by solar energy, was starting its remarkable journey through the continent, Premier of Western Australia Ray O’Connor handed a bottle full of water from the Indian Ocean to its creators and drivers Larry Perkins and Hans Tholstrup. Over 4000km later, on the steps of The Sydney Opera House, Senator Sir John Carrick, Minister for National Development and Energy, greeted drivers and in a symbolic gesture pour the water into the Pacific Ocean. Lasting 20days journey of a sun vehicle called “bathtub on wheels”, proved how all-embracing and important is photovoltaic in a constant developing world. This small gesture of joining two oceans by solar power, wasn’t only a sign of respect for a great power of oceans, but also highlighted how technology development and pollution affect the degradation and loss of productivity of this extremely important ecosystem.
The Quiet Achiever creators have achieved exceptional success by beating the distance of more than 4000km in 20days (whereas the first gasoline car beat the same distance in 30days) proving in the same time, greatness and potential of solar energy.
Today, more than 20 years later, photovoltaic still works in automotive industry. Starting with racing solar cars, beating Guinness in the speed of vehicles powered by solar energy, and ending with the production of sports cars, which may soon, master streets of the big cities.
Full description of the journey of The Quiet Achiever you can read below: