THE University of Technology (UTech) on Wednesday launched the island’s first solar-powered vehicle – a golf cart or Solcar.

The vehicle, developed by four final-year mechanical engineering students at the institution – Donald Beaufort, Robert Burnett, Leon Reid and Derrick Solay – has a range of about 30 miles. It has a solar panel attached to its top and is able to operate for two days after being fully charged, according to acting project supervisor Brian Silvera.

According to Silvera, the short-term goal of the solar-powered golf cart project is to eliminate the use of gasoline-powered golf carts islandwide. He said 600 golf carts are in use across the island within the tourism sector, 60 per cent of which are gasoline-dependent.

The students began work on the project last September under the supervision of Dr Noel Brown and Silvera. The vehicle was launched at a function on the university’s Hope Road campus with much fanfare.

Overwhelmed to see the “support” he and his colleagues’ labour had garnered, an elated Beaufort said: “It’s just a joy to see that everybody is so excited about it as I am.”

Wednesday’s launch came amidst renewed talks that the widescale use of solar energy could reduce the nation’s energy bill and spawn a solar-powered motor vehicle industry here.

“The. introduction of this solar-powered golf cart project is a very. important step in the right direction. We are nearly 100 per cent dependent on oil imports to satisfy the country’s energy needs,” said industry, technology, energy and commerce minister Phillip Paulwell at the launch.

Jamaica’s energy consumption, Paulwell said, was one of the highest in the hemisphere, moving from 5.6 barrels of energy per capita in 1987 to a current level of over 10 barrels of oil.

Dr Ruth Potopsingh, group managing director of Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica – the main sponsor of the approximately $300,000 project – said the initiative was an important step as the country seeks to develop alternative sources of energy.

“Hopefully, the initiative will encourage more enduring and long-term design and manufacturing of local solar-powered vehicles for a wider range of use,” she said.