SUNNY DAYS
Polytechnique Montreal students have won two races in the United States, the Solar Grand Prix and the American Solar Challenge, with their self-built solar-powered vehicle.
The vehicle, which took two-and-a-half years to build, specifically won the Electrek Formula Sun Grand Prix and the American Solar Challenge, both of which took place in July. Both races took place at the National Corvette Museum Motorsports Park in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
The Polytechnique Montreal students’ solar-powered vehicle, Esteban 11, is a two-seater with five square metres of solar panels and a battery capable of lasting up to 700 kilometres.
While the vehicle is not roadworthy, participating students see a bright future for the solar-powered tech. Producing Esteban 11 was not a school project, and the students did not receive credits or compensation for the vehicle.
A CATASTROPHIC CALENDAR
The Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) has released a “One-Year Update Following 2023 Nova Scotia Wildfires and Flooding” report that details that insured losses in the province are now approaching half a billion dollars.
The report specifically highlights the aftermath of two storms that affected the province in the late spring and early summer of 2023. Notably, from May 28 to June 4, 2023, a wildfire ripped through communities in the Halifax Regional Municipality. Then, on July 21, 2023, an atmospheric river event led to significant flooding in parts of Nova Scotia, including Halifax, East Hants, West Hants and Lunenburg and Queens. During this storm, more than 20 centimetres of rain fell in less than 24 hours.
The report further notes that the wildfire event saw a total of 150 automotive claims resulting in $2.28 million in total insured claims costs; with the average claims cost coming in at around $15,200.
Comparatively, when looking at the effects of the flooding, in total there were approximately 660 auto claims resulting in $12 million in total insured claims costs; with the average claim cost coming in at around $18,300.
The study concludes that ultimately, “we are now living in a world where large loss insurance events should be expected almost yearly,” and that despite the progress being made in Nova Scotia to recover from the 2023 storm events, extreme weather patterns in the area are expected to become more and more common.
