Saving the earth through fuel efficiency

MANILA, Philippines - In a recent Newsweek article, a Hampshire College professor was quoted as saying that we live in an “era of extreme energy” – referring not to our increased thirst for the fuel that powers our everyday life, but the lengths to which we plumb our planet for fuel.

Consider indeed, continued writer Daniel Gross, that in times not too distant we only needed to prick the earth a little to get a gush of oil. But we used up those land-based reservoirs quickly, so we went to sea shallows. And when that was depleted, we went to its deepest parts.

The figures, continues the article, are truly striking: “In 1985, only 21 million barrels, or six percent of the oil produced in the Gulf of Mexico, came from wells drilled in water more than 1,000 feet deep. In 2009, such wells produced 456 million barrels, or 80 percent of total gulf production.”

The trend is clear: we are working increasingly harder to get our oil – using extreme measures to get our fix of black gold. And with the ecological catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico, it should also be apparent that these methods are becoming more costly and risky. The solution is simple enough, concluded writer Daniel Gross: if we cannot wean ourselves from fossil fuel, then “we need extreme efficiency.”

One must also add that oil companies must genuinely understand this concept – along with the principle that business bottomline can never supercede environmental safety.

For 25 straight years now, Shell has marched on with its vision for enhanced fuel efficiency via the Shell Eco-marathon.

It actually began way back in 1939, when Shell research lab scientists challenged each other to come up with a car that delivered the best mileage. Fast-forward to 1985, when that previously internal competition debuted publicly as the Shell Eco-marathon in Europe. It caught on in the Americas in 2007, and is now poised to kick off in Asia a heartbeat from today – at Malaysia’s renowned F1 venue that is the Sepang International Circuit from July 8 to 10, to be precise.

 Last year’s marathon winner logged 3,771 kilometers on a measly liter of fuel, and that impressive standard will be on the line when the first batch of Asian contenders (some 100 student-teams) have a go at it.

One should additionally note that the competition is not a race. Being fast is just an added nicety; the priority is getting more bang for the buck – or, more correctly, more miles to the gallon. There are two categories: futuristic prototypes, and urban concept vehicles. The first pits streamlined vehicles where reducing drag coefficient and maximizing efficiency are the main considerations; the second is comprised of more conventional (roadworthy) four-wheel vehicles.

Contestants may use conventional fuels (diesel, gasoline, and LPG) or alternative ones (solar, electric, hydrogen, bio-fuels, and GTL) to power the vehicles.

“We are encouraging students to help build the cars of tomorrow with greater energy efficiency, as we aim to help build a new energy future that will support people’s needs to power their lives and sustain a clean environment in the long term. Shell is excited to be part of this endeavor, which we hope will not just challenge but also inspire our youth. We look to them as future leaders that will help find solutions to the world’s energy challenge,” said Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation (PSPC or Pilipinas Shell) Vice President for Communications Bobby Kanapi.

Team Philippines is fielding three groups from three educational institutions: Don Bosco Technical College, Mapua Institute of Technology, and the University of Sto. Tomas.

The Bosconian team’s vehicle “Grigio” – named after the guard dog of St. John Bosco – was engineered for lower rpm to enhance fuel efficiency. Grigio was also built using light materials and thin tires to trim down its weight and road friction.

Using a grass cutter engine, the Mapua vehicle “Atlanta” features a popular teardrop design for lower drag coefficient, and possesses an F1-inspired steering mechanism with multifunction display and speed limiter. To further improve aerodynamics, the team punched more than 300 12-mm holes in “low-stress” portions of the Atlanta.

The UST contingent also used a grass cutter engine for “Tiger 400” (in recognition of the 400th year of the university in 2011. Computer-monitored EFI is featured in their entry that boasts a maximum speed of 50 kph.

Team Philippines will also be joined by the winners of Shell’s Smartest Drivers challenge, a competition launched in conjunction with the Shell Eco-marathon Asia campaign. This challenges Filipino drivers to come up with “creative and practical tips to minimize fuel consumption.”

“Just like the Shell Eco-marathon’s Philippine delegation, the winners of the Smartest Drivers challenge will compete with other Asian countries to crown a driver and name him ‘Asia’s Smartest Fuel Saver’ which hopes to inspire hundreds and thousands of other drivers to follow suit,” concluded Kanapi.

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For more information on the Shell Eco-marathon, visit www.shell.com/ecomarathon. Also visit www.topgear.com.ph/shellsmartestdrivers to know more about the drivers’ challenge. Submission of entries runs until June 20.