Palaexpo - Roma © Antonio Politano

If there is one thing this place abounds in, it's the sun. If there is one thing missing it's traffic. Few dangers, apart from tired drivers or wandering animals. Perhaps it is for this reason that it is organized here. Every two years, for twenty years, the continent has been crossed by one of the most unique world race. 2999 km, from Darwin to Adelaide, along the Stuart Highway. Only for solar energy vehicles. Single-seat covered with solar panels that seem to come from a science fiction film, actually products of sophisticated laboratories of universities and companies. Applied research for sustainable energy. Futuristic scenery in primordial environment. The encounter with the solar cars, driving back along the Stuart highway, is surreal. All around the usual flat 'nothing' ochre and red, some trees, a couple of cars and trucks every ten minutes. Then they appear. Aerodynamic, shiny, silent. When they parade through the road you feel only the rustle of moved air. They run during the day, with more than 40 degrees,at a speed of nearly 150 kmh, although this year it has been necessary to comply with the introduction in the Northern Territory of the lspeed imit of 130 kmh (before this there was no limit and there are still tales about challenges on who took his foot off the acclerator last). At sunset, they stop. They camp up until dawn, when the sun reappears and they start again. For the record, for the fourth consecutive time, the Dutch Nuon Solar Team of the Delft University of Technology won, with an average speed of 90.87 kmh. Only one accident, 400 km south of Alice Springs, when the machine of the titled Stanford University went offroad, between kangaroos and eucalyptus for a banal blow-out. Unharmed pilot, destroyed panels, eventual arrival at the finishing line on a road train. An underestimated variable by Californian engineers, the local newspaper commented on

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	Se c’è una cosa che abbonda, da queste parti, è il sole. Se c’è una cosa che manca, è il traffico. Pochi pericoli, a parte autisti stanchi o animali vaganti. Forse per questo l’organizzano qui. Da vent’anni, ogni due anni, il continente è attraversato da una delle corse più singolari del mondo. 2999 km, da Darwin ad Adelaide, lungo la Stuart Highway. Solo per veicoli a energia solare. Monoposto ricoperte da pannelli solari che sembrano uscite da un film di fantascienza, in realtà prodotti sofisticati dei laboratori di università e aziende. Ricerca applicata di energia sostenibile. Scenario futuribile in ambiente primordiale. L’incontro con le solar car, risalendo la Stuart, è surreale. Attorno il solito piatto nulla ocra e rosso, qualche albero, un paio di auto e camion ogni dieci minuti. Poi appaiono loro. Aerodinamiche, lucenti, silenziose. Quando sfilano accanto senti solo il fruscio dell’aria spostata. Si corre di giorno, con più di 40 gradi e velocità che sfiorano i 150 kmh, anche se quest’anno si è dovuto fare i conti con l’introduzione nel Northern Territory del limite di 130 kmh (prima non esisteva e si favoleggia ancora di sfide a chi tirava su per ultimo il piede dall’acceleratore). Al tramonto, stop. Ci si accampa fino all’alba, il sole riappare e si riparte. Per la cronaca ha vinto, per la quarta volta consecutiva, l’olandese Nuon Solar Team della Delft University of Technology, a una media di 90,87 kmh. Un solo incidente, 400 km a sud di Alice Springs, quando la macchina della blasonata Stanford University è finita fuori strada, tra canguri ed eucalipti, per il banale scoppio di un pneumatico. Pilota illeso, pannelli distrutti, arrivo al traguardo su un road train. Una variabile sottostimata dagli ingegneri californiani, ha commentato il giornale locale	If there is one thing this place abounds in, it's the sun. If there is one thing missing it's traffic. Few dangers, apart from tired drivers or wandering animals. Perhaps it is for this reason that it is organized here. Every two years, for twenty years, the continent has been crossed by one of the most unique world race. 2999 km, from Darwin to Adelaide, along the Stuart Highway. Only for solar energy vehicles. Single-seat covered with solar panels that seem to come from a science fiction film, actually products of sophisticated laboratories of universities and companies. Applied research for sustainable energy. Futuristic scenery in primordial environment. The encounter with the solar cars, driving back along the Stuart highway, is surreal. All around the usual flat 'nothing' ochre and red, some trees, a couple of cars and trucks every ten minutes. Then they appear. Aerodynamic, shiny, silent. When they parade through the road you feel only the rustle of moved air. They run during the day, with more than 40 degrees,at a speed of nearly 150 kmh, although this year it has been necessary to comply with the introduction in the Northern Territory of the lspeed imit of 130 kmh (before this there was no limit and there are still tales about challenges on who took his foot off the acclerator last). At sunset, they stop. They camp up until dawn, when the sun reappears and they start again. For the record, for the fourth consecutive time, the Dutch Nuon Solar Team of the Delft University of Technology won, with an average speed of 90.87 kmh. Only one accident, 400 km south of Alice Springs, when the machine of the titled Stanford University went offroad, between kangaroos and eucalyptus for a banal blow-out. Unharmed pilot, destroyed panels, eventual arrival at the finishing line on a road train. An underestimated variable by Californian engineers, the local newspaper commented on