2024 Event
The Tasmanian Model Solar Challenge is part of a nation-wide, solar energy competition with a focus on hands-on learning and bringing applied-STEM to students in the classroom. The event ultimately ends each year at the national finals where the top entries from each state and territory come together to battle it out for the crown of Australia’s fastest model solar powered vehicle. The Challenge engages many areas of Science and Engineering and presents students with an exciting real-world project that’s only really limited by their imagination and creativity.
The 2024 Tasmanian edition consists of two different events to choose from, a model solar car and a model solar boat competition. Both events are free to enter and open to children of all ages studying up to Year 12 in Tasmania. The boat event tends to be the simpler and lower cost option and is aimed more at primary school level. A high school division also exists for older students interested in experimenting with higher efficiency motors and really pushing boat performance to the limit. The car event is targeted more towards secondary and even college-aged students but is also open to younger primary school students keen on challenging themselves. Separate finals are typically held just for primary school cars.
To participate students must design and build a model car or boat that meet the specifications outlined for the year. Entries then face off against one another on race day with the car competition taking place on a specially constructed plywood track and the boats in a long shallow pool following a guide wire.
Teams can be made up of a single student, a small group or an entire class. Students may even like to take it on as a project outside of school or home-school parents offer the experience to their children.
New regulations for the Challenge are release during Term 1 of each school year and students then have until the event date in Term 4 to complete their entry. This year’s regulations can be viewed and downloaded from here. A complex design involving skilled manufacturing processes may take several months to complete while another much simpler approach may take just a few hours of work.
The 2024 Tasmanian car competition will take place on Saturday November 2nd at Hobart City High School (end of week 3 – Term 4), while the boat competition is being run several weeks later during school hours towards the end of Term 4 (date and venue TBC). Further information and details are set to be published as the events draw closer but sign-in/scrutineering for the cars is usually open from approximately 8am and racing then takes place through to 2-4pm depending on weather conditions, entry numbers and how far teams progress through the competition.
The Challenge is all about making Science and Engineering fun. It aims to ignite and further children’s interest in the areas of STEM with many participants then going on to pursue studies and careers in these fields. Learning about solar energy is at the very core of the competition and paves the way for further exploration into today’s renewables industry with a look at where the future is heading.
Below are a couple of short promotional video clips produced by the Sustainable Energy Association of Australia for the WA event and by Melbourne’s Swinburne University of Technology for the Victorian Model Solar Challenge. They give a great insight into what the Challenge is all about.
Get Started Today!
So you’re interested in getting involved? Simply take the following steps to get your Challenge experience underway.
Step 1
First things first. Check out the new regulations for 2023. Teams will need to design their solar car or boat in accordance with these. The important parts can be found in the specifications section.
Step 2
Contact the Tasmanian Model Solar Challenge with your expressions of interest for 2023. There are free kits of parts available to help you or your school get started and we'll also add you to the Challenge emailing list so you're kept up to date on all the latest news & info as the year progresses. Don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about the event, regulations or require any other assistance.
Step 3
Take a bit of time to browse through some photos from past events on the website or facebook page. They're a great place to start and might help give you a few ideas when designing your new car or boat.
Step 5
Get designing and building today. At home or at school, by yourself or in a team. The simplest cars can take just a few hours to build, more complex ones days, weeks or even months. It's entirely up to you! Just keep in mind that race day for the 2023 Tasmanian Model Solar Challenge will be held in Term 4.