astronomy

Zero Emissions Race

Zero Emissions Race is a astronomy topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Zero Emissions Race rather than just read about it. In short: The Zero Emissions Race is an annual trip around the world, launched in Geneva in 2010 by Louis Palmer, a Swiss teacher who had previously driven an electric car dubbed the "Solar Taxi" around the world primarily powered by solar energy. That journey took 18 months and was completed in December 2008.

Key takeaways

Zero Emissions Race belongs to astronomy; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Zero Emissions Race to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Zero Emissions Race from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The Zero Emissions Race is an annual trip around the world, launched in Geneva in 2010 by Louis Palmer, a Swiss teacher who had previously driven an electric car dubbed the "Solar Taxi" around the world primarily powered by solar energy. That journey took 18 months and was completed in December 2008.

Solar Taxi (2006 - 2008)

Before the Zero Emissions Race Palmer covered 54,000 kilometers (34,000 mi) in a custom made EV called the "Solar Taxi", a small, lightweight two-seater vehicle. He trailed a solar array with 12 solar panels behind him. The panels generated electricity, which was stored in batteries, also located in the trailer. Thus, the Solar Taxi is essentially a solar-charged vehicle, rather than a solar vehicle, meaning the energy created by the solar panels is first stored in batteries, rather than being tapped to directly, and immediately propel the vehicle forward. The Solar Taxi could travel for 300 kilometers on a single charge and reach speeds of 90 kilometres per hour (56 mph). Passengers included UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Monaco's Prince Albert, Hollywood filmmaker James Cameron, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Sweden's Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt.

Zero Emissions Race (2010 - 2011) After his historic solar-powered trip around the world, Palmer followed up by organizing the Zero Emissions Race. With the Zero Emissions Race, Palmer invited international teams to drive their own cars around the world. The only condition is that the energy used by each electric vehicle be offset by the generation of electricity via renewable energy forms (sun, wind, wave, geothermal, etc.) at designated production facilities in the racers' home countries. Four teams took up Palmer's invitation and, as of October 2010, they are in the midst of an 80-day EV journey around the world. The First Annual Zero Emissions Race began on August 16, 2010 in Geneva, Switzerland and headed east. After exactly 80 driving days, 30,000 kilometres (19,000 mi) and 17 countries the race arrived back to Geneva on February 27, 2011. "With this race we want to show, that seven billion people on this planet need renewable energy and clean mobility", said Palmer. "Petrol is running out, and the climate crisis is coming... and we are all in running against time." The winner of the race (by points) became Zerotracer. The event was sponsored by Canadian Solar, among others. Palmer is a strong advocate of electric vehicles and especially the electric vehicle + renewable energy mix. "People love this idea of a solar car," Palmer told the BBC outside the venue of the COP14 UN climate talks. "I hope that the car industry hears...and makes electric cars in future." With the Zero Emissions Race, which Palmer hopes will run every two years, Palmer is seeking to further sell the public on the idea of battery powered vehicles whose "engines" are filled with renewable energy-generated electricity. "The success of ZERO Race depends on the number of people reached and inspired enough to take action towards a more sustainable way of life," said Palmer. "Growing traffic and environmental pollution are situations that are just asking for solutions. The ZERO Race is very much about showing realistic ways towards a cleaner and greener future for the planet and its people." Palmer says that he hopes that a two-seater electric vehicle with a range of 155 miles (250 km) will eventually be sold for as little as US$12,820.

See also Alternative fuel vehicle Electric vehicle Photovoltaics in transport Solar vehicle Solar-charged vehicle

References

External links Zero Emissions Race Louis Palmer Video of race on YouTube

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Zero Emissions Race

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Zero Emissions Race claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In astronomy, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Zero Emissions Race before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Zero Emissions Race ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Zero Emissions Race

In research: Zero Emissions Race appears in astronomy research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Zero Emissions Race in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Zero Emissions Race is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Solar car races, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Zero Emissions Race outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Zero Emissions Race in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Zero Emissions Race means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Zero Emissions Race out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Zero Emissions Race in simple terms?

Why does Zero Emissions Race matter?

Because it connects several astronomy ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Zero Emissions Race?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Zero Emissions Race.