Before we got there we read in the New Scientist about a 3,000km solar powered vehicle race ending in Adelaide. When we got to Adelaide we found one of the vehicles on display at the International Solar Energy Conference. We expected to arrive before the solar powered vehicles, since we were arriving about a week after the start of the race. But the vehicles did the 3,000 km drive in about three days! Even more impressive was the solar powered boat offering free rides in the water next to the convention centre. It set off at a phenomenal speed. Apparently it was built by a school, Prince Alfred College.The boat has a battery but no power source other than the solar panels.

According to sales staff trying to sell solar power at at an exhibition associated with the conference, Australia has not really turned on to solar power yet. There certainly seem to be relatively few buildings with solar panels on them, but we were struck by the number of public utility sites (weather stations, aerials, signal buoys etc) at isolated places which had solar power units.

This solar powered racing car came second.