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The History of Greenpower
Greenpower is a company dedicated to promoting engineering and technology as careers to pupils throughout their school life, through an exciting hands-on project to design, build and race an electric racing car!Greenpower have been running the 'Formula 24' series for secondary schools since 1999. In that time hundreds of schools and many thousand children have played an active part. Each entrant is issued with a standard 24 volt electric wheelchair motor and four 12 volt car batteries (two on the car, and two on charge in the pitlane). A series of six hour endurance races at motor circuits around the county build up to the National Final; held each October at the historic Goodwood Motor Circuit. Each team must comprise of six drivers and six pit-crew.
Greenpower also offer a Primary School project - a fixed-speed kit car (Goblins!) formula, with inter-school competitions held at various locations throughout the year. New for 2006 are two Formulas aimed at sixth-forms and colleges, similar to 'Formula 24' but with a more detailed specification.
The first Greenpower event back in 1999 was organised by Sussex Enterprise to assist advanced engineering companies in the county. Due to the dearth of youngsters leaving school to follow engineering careers, it was aimed exclusively at Secondary Schools to encourage a greater appreciation of engineering. The historic Goodwood Motor Circuit was selected as the venue for the six-hour final as it offered a wow factor at the end of the project. The format worked, with 19 of the 22 cars finishing the six hour race! This first event was supported by Sussex Enterprise, Lucas, IMechE, The Ford Motor Company, and The British Wind Energy Association, and covered extensively by The Daily Telegraph.
2000 saw an increase in entrants to 50 cars, with three heats in July, and a National Final in October, with some cars now coming from East Sussex. Sussex Enterprise, the Campaign to Promote Engineering, The Ford Motor Company, The Daily Telegraph, and the British Wind Energy Association supported the 2000 event.
In 2001 the competition really took off, with six heats and over 100 entries. This year also saw the development and appearance of a new breed of streamlined cars, setting hugely improved distance records of over 150 miles in the six hour final (up from 80 miles in 1999).
Greenpower went into 2002 with the support of the CPE, The Daily Telegraph and Ford as well as a number of regional backers who helped support the various heats. In particular SEEBOARD Energy took over from Sussex Enterprise for the Sussex heat, Castrol sponsored the first Thames Valley heat, and Autoliv sponsored a Hampshire heat. Cars were getting progressively better as teams looked at how the successful cars were designed, and a large number of very low cars began to appear and lightness of chassis and smallness of drivers became watchwords. With over 200 entries the year was the most successful to date.
Almost complete coverage of England ensued in 2003, and further increases in events and competitors in 2004. 2004 was also the debut year for the most advanced car yet, and the first winner from outside Sussex: Turbo Tortoise from Furze Platt Senior School in Maidenhead.
2006 saw the expansion of the Goblin Formula nationwide, with cars competing as far afield as Aberdeen. The Formula 24 category was won by The Weald School from Billingshurst, West Sussex, with a record breaking National Final run of 201 miles in six hours. The first unique Formula 35 and Catapult National Final was held at Dunsfold Park in Surrey - a great venue new to Greenpower.
2007 saw a year of changes to both regulation and event formats in our never-ending quest to improve safety, introduce new schools to the challenge, and make race days more fun with close, competitive racing. More events than ever before were held around the country. Seaford College won the Formula 24 and Formula 35 Finals with their car The Phoenix, covering an astounding 129 miles in the new four hour race format.
In 2008 more major changes are afoot, with the creation of Formula 24+ to replace the under entered Formula 35 and Catapult. Formula 24+ is a category for 16-21 year olds in any form of education. Formula 24 is set to continue its healthy growth with many new entries and a new regional heat in Scotland. The Goblin project also continues to grow and 2008 will have the first North, Midlands and South Gatherings of Goblins.
We are delighted that many of the sponsors of the 2007 series will again be supporting us in 2008, but as ever remain on the look out for new partners and supporters - if you might be able to help please email marketing@greenpower.co.uk