Sharp powers Tokai U solar car

Sharp Corp. has disclosed it will provide solar cells to the Tokai University team taking part in the solar car category of the Global Green Challenge. The drivers will include Kenjiro Shinozuka, who in 1997 became the first Japanese to achieve overall victory in the Paris to Dakar Rally.

The solar car category of the Global Green Challenge has vehicles powered only by the Sun's energy traverse the Australian continent in one of the world's largest solar car races. In this race, universities and other organizations from around the world will cover about 3,000km—from Darwin in the north to Adelaide in the south—in cars developed with support from corporate sponsors.

Sharp will provide Tokai University with compound solar cells having a cell conversion efficiency of 30 percent and a total output of 1.8kW. Compound solar cells are currently used mainly in artificial satellites. Sharp first developed solar cells for satellites in 1967 to satisfy the high conversion efficiency and reliability required in outer space applications. Even today Sharp is the only manufacturer whose solar cells are approved for use by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.

By providing these highly efficient solar cells, Sharp will allow Tokai University's "Tokai Challenger" solar car to maximize its performance under the harsh conditions of this race.