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Enefit and Solaride join forces to develop the next-generation solar car
The international energy company Enefit has partnered with Solaride, becoming a member of the non-profit organisation that develops solar cars. This collaboration aims to build a winning car for the World Solar Challenge in Australia, advance innovation in the energy sector, and make engineering studies more appealing to young people.
“Thanks to this partnership, students will have the opportunity to develop the Baltic States' third solar car with the support of Enefit’s specialists. Together, we can come up with even better solutions on how to use solar energy as efficiently as possible at the World Championship,” said Asso Soosalu, the CEO of Solaride.
One of the shared goals of Enefit and Solaride is to popularise engineering. This fall, a hardware hackathon called “Build-a-Thon” will be organised for students, providing young people from various fields with the opportunity to tackle challenges in the energy sector. The aim is to develop better energy solutions and drive innovation in the field.
According to Kristjan Kuhi, a board member of Eesti Energia, which operates under the Enefit brand, innovating and developing solar energy solutions and electromobility are part of Enefit’s daily work. “Solaride combines three key areas for Enefit – solar energy, electromobility, and the training of future engineers. Therefore, we are delighted to be able to contribute to Solaride’s activities with our advice and expertise in the coming years,” said Kuhi.
Enefit supports the popularisation of science and the development of future engineers through various programs and activities. For instance, the company, together with its partners, leads the program “Lae End” (“Charge Yourself”), which supports primary school physics and chemistry teachers with interesting learning materials and training programs to showcase the excitement of science to students. Additionally, Enefit is one of the founders of the Energy Discovery Centre and a long-term supporter of the science theatre show Rakett69.
Solaride is an interdisciplinary educational project that began in 2020, focusing on the development of a solar car with the goal of nurturing future talent and promoting engineering education. Through the collaboration of young people, mentors, and sponsors, the first and second solar cars in the Baltic States have already been developed.
