SINAG Knowpia

The SINAG (Tagalog for sun ray), based in De La Salle University in the Philippines, is the first Philippine solar-powered race car and the first entry of the Philippines to the World Solar Challenge.

The solar car was inaugurated on January 27, 2007, at NBC Tent, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig.^[1]

Design edit

The design and construction was undertaken by a group of faculty and students from the Mechanical Engineering Department and the Electronics and Communications Engineering Department of De La Salle University. They also had the help and partnership of Ford Group Philippines, San Miguel Corporation, Motolite, Shell, SunPower, Philippine Airlines and Ventus.^[2]

The solar panels used by the Sinag solar–powered car was manufactured by SunPower. The body of the car was made of carbon fibers and with the Philippine colors.

The official weight of Sinag is 295 kg (650 lb).

2007 World Solar Challenge edit

The Philippine team finished 12th place from 40 participants. The team finished the 3,021 km (1,877 mi) race from Darwin to Adelaide at 4 p.m. on October 27, 2007 (Australian time).

Sinag performed exceptionally well from the beginning of the race in Darwin on Sunday, October 21. Needing only minor adjustments to its brake system, Sinag quickly zoomed to 11th place. The team maintained this position and made excellent time, passing the halfway mark at Alice Springs on Wednesday, October 24, and breaching the 2,000 km mark at Cadney Homestead the following day, October 25.

The SINAG solar car arrived at the finish line of the World Solar Challenge (WSC) with over a day to spare.^[3] SINAG arrived in Adelaide at around 4pm, well before the 5pm cut-off for the day. SINAG Technical Head Engr. Rene Fernandez proclaimed “The Philippine flag has reached Adelaide!” as the car crossed the finish line, greeted by a small crowd of Filipino well-wishers carrying small flags of their own.

The all-Filipino Team SINAG was warmly welcomed by the Lord Mayor of Adelaide Michael Harbison and by Hans Tholstrup himself, the founder of the WSC and the first person to cross Australia in a solar car, The Quiet Achiever. Team SINAG also got to meet the members of the Nuon Solar Team from the Delft University of Technology, the multiple successive winners of the WSC.

The Netherlands' Nuon Solar Team, with their car called Nuna4 won the overall championship finishing the race on Oct. 25.

Recognition edit

In Senate Resolution No. 32, the all-Filipino team of Sinag was congratulated for their exemplary performance in the 2007 World Solar Challenge.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo also cited and recognized in Malacañan Palace the team for a job well done.

Team edit

Rene Fernandez - Overall Project Leader
Robert Obiles - Overall Student Team Leader
Ronafe de Castro - Sinag Team Secretary

Mechanical Team

Anthony Escolar - Faculty Adviser
Mico Villena - Student Team Leader
Prince Asumbrado
Maybelline Boon
Neo Broncano
GJ Campecino
Owen Pangan
Hanry Chan
Johannes Chiong - The Handsome
Klyde Chua
Javy Locsin
Rick Senales
Sherwin Siahetiong
Chike Siman
Raffy Velasco

Electrical Team

Jose Antonio Catalan - Faculty Adviser
Cesar Llorente - Faculty Adviser
Leo Ambata - Faculty Adviser
Jingel Tio - Faculty Adviser
Noriel Mallari - Faculty Adviser
Kaiser Fernandez - Student Team Leader
Prince Ang
Ryan Joseph Bitanga
Jhoana Guillen E. Bregonia
Walter Chua
Harold King M. Dimay
Lorenzo Miguel A. Javier
Rainier N. Ong
Fredric Lance C. Ong
Frank J. Tua
Erbert Anton P. Vergara
Vincent Nonato Yao

Shell Team

Martin Ernesto Kalaw - Faculty Adviser
Martin Sy-Quia - Student Team Leader
Margarita Antonio
Alfred Cabiling
Jon Louie Chiu
Mark de Jesus
Jade Lu
John Ng
Elvin Ngo
Josue Reyes
Bryan Sy
Victor Yu
Sherwin To
Lavina Parwani

CAD Team

Isidro Marfori - Faculty Adviser
John Ng
Prince Ang

Drivers

Ivan Porcalla
Eric Tan
Sherwin To
Robert Obiles

Marketing Team

Dennis Beng Hui - DLSU IE Department
Brian Gail Bautista - DLSU Marketing & Communication
Gian Carlo Vizcarra - DLSU Marketing & Communication
Cherry Ramirez - Ford Group Philippines
Ernest Estrera - Motolie
Jess Garcia - Philippine Airlines
Jemmie Chua - San Miguel Corporation
Mylene Santos - Pilipinas Shell
Jong Jimenez - Sunpower
Isabel Arches - Ventus
Jovy Astillero - Creasia
Mark Peckson - JWT
Donna Conda - Stratworks, Inc.

Sinag Team to Australia edit

Rene Fernandez - Team Captain
Jack Catalan - Deputy Team Captain
Isidro Marfori - Head of Mechanical
Noriel Mallari - Head of Electrical
Eric Tan - Driver
Ivan Porcalla - Driver
Sherwin To - Driver
Robert Obiles - Driver
Prince Ang - Mechanical
Mico Villena - Mechanical
Martin Sy-Quia - Mechanical
Vincent Yao - Electrical
Kaiser Fernandez - Electrical
Walter Chua - Electrical

References edit

^ "First Philippine Solar Car unveiled". Official De La Salle University Website. July 7, 2007. Retrieved September 14, 2016.
^ "Sponsors". Official De La Salle University Website. Retrieved September 14, 2016.
^ "SINAG Finishes World Solar Challenge with a Day to Spare". Official De La Salle University Website. October 28, 2007. Retrieved September 14, 2016.