14 Dec 2010 Kronospan helps create Wrexham's award winning Solar Car
Kronospan the Chirk based wood panel manufacturer has joined forces with the Engineering Department at Glyndwr University in Wrexham, to create the latest in green technology: A Welsh solar power car.
Kronospan the Chirk based wood panel manufacturer has joined forces with the Engineering Department at Glyndwr University in Wrexham, to create the latest in green technology: A Welsh solar power car.
The Wrexham based team's vision was to build a solar power car as cheaply and sustainable as possible. So the car which is called Tan y Wawr or Fire of the Dawn, is made from "off-the-shelf" materials, parts from recycled motor bikes and mopeds, and odd bits and pieces from old cars.
Most of these parts have been gathered from within Wales and at a fraction of the normal build costs. But when it came to making the aerodynamic carbon body that is essential for speed and energy performance, the team realized they would need to make a mould first and for this they would need plenty of MDF. So North Wales' top wood panel manufacturer Kronospan stepped in and donated its MDF to the Engineering team at Glyndwr.
Dr Graham Sparey-Taylor who is leading the project in Wrexham said, "The MDF that Kronospan has given us is absolutely pivotal in the process of making this solar powered car. Using MDF we have been able to make perfect moulds for the carbon shell. The moulds are also recyclable - which is important for this project. Kronospan's donation has not only helped in the overall design but in huge cost savings - the solar car has only cost only £10,000 to make".
Mike McKenna Kronospan Works Director said, "We are delighted to be able to help the University with this exciting project. The solar car is being built to demonstrate future technologies which as a manufacturing business are important to us. Testing new and sustainable technologies is key to the future and we are thrilled to be part of the latest research".
The Welsh solar power car is capable of travelling at speeds of 100 miles an hour and will be put to the tests in Australia next year during the Darwin to Adelaide Challenge. A growing number of teams from around the world will be competing in this 1800 mile endurance test to go as far as possible using only energy powered by the sun.