Volta Racer -- World's First Solar-Powered Car (for Kids!)

       ToyLabs Inc. (Silicon Valley start-up) has unveiled its latest production as well as being the world's first solar-powered toy called Volta Racer. This toy has the components of a flexible polycrystalline silicon solar panel that helps capture sunlight to power up the toy. As produced initially to have children learn the advantages of green power and harnessing the sun's energy to power up future gadgets, ToyLabs has made the solar-powered toy from eco-friendly recyclable damage resistant materials cut at roundish angles so that it doesn't cause any damage to the kids. 

       Interestingly, the device can be assembled in a matter of 15 minutes, giving more insight on how kids can learn the basic concepts of solar electricity and mechanical engineering. Volta Racer can also traverse easily upon any terrain and only moves in either a straight line or roundish path depending on the setting of axle by the user.

The Polycrystalline Silicon Solar Panel

      Not being able to be remote-controlled may be the only downside to this remarkable yet educational toy for your kids but one is able to purchase the Volta Racer for only $25, which also gives you a variety of five color options to choose from. Even though it may not be remote-controlled, I'm sure it'll still bring enjoyment to kids as well as making them realize the importance of harnessing natural sources of energy in the not-so-distant future.

Solar "Power" Couple Wins Award

        Dr. Jianhua Zhao and Aihua Wang were joint recipients for an Advance Global Australian Award for contributions to the field of clean technology. The award ceremony, organized in partnership with the Australian Government and the Australian Financial Review, was held at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney on March 21, 2013.
        The pair, who are the first Chinese-Australians ever to receive this award, also won a special Australia in the Asian Century Award for their contribution in the Asia region. Australia's Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, also made a video speech to them to endorsing the award. "Jianhua and Aihua were excellent students and staff members here at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), and prolific researchers," says Scientia Professor Martin Green, Director of the AFC Photovoltaics Center of Excellence, and who nominated Dr. Zhao and Dr. Wang for the award. "They took us to the position where we can now make the most efficient cells in the world and nobody yet has been able to catch up. They are both well-respected internationally and have played an influential role in establishing China as a major producer of solar power and PV technology."
        In 1999, the pair developed the high efficiency crystallized Silicon PERL cell and set a new record, demonstrating 25% energy conversion efficiency, which remains the highest level achieved in the world so far.
       In 2004, Zhao co-founded the Chinese solar cell and manufacturing company China Sunergy, where he is now Chief Technology Officer and Director. Wang, who also completed her Ph.D. degree and worked at UNSW for more than a decade, is the company's Vice-President of research and development.
       The duo are now leading China Sunergy's participation in an 863 program, a National High Technology Research and Development Program in China that supports and encourages the development and commercialization of solar cells with a high efficiency rate (over 20%) and a low production cost.

Source : UNSW