Update for 2015: Guinness World Records for Solar

Back in 2011, we posted this list of Guinness World Records for Solar that had been achieved at that point in time.  With the progress in solar and the popularity of this amazing energy source all over the world, we thought it was time to do an update!  Let's see what has happened in solar energy record setting in the past four years...

NEW RECORD: Fastest solar powered vehicle
Japan - August 20, 2014

The fastest speed attained by a solar-powered vehicle is 91.332 km/h (56.75 mph) and was achieved by Kenjiro Shinozuka (Japan), who drove Ashiya University's Sky Ace TIGA at Shimojishima Airport, in Miyakojima, Okinawa, Japan.


UNCHANGED: Largest solar powered building
China - December 2009

In December 2009, China unveiled an office building in Dezhou, Shangdong province, that meets almost all of its energy needs with its rooftop solar panels. The building covers 807,000 square feet and contains research facilities, display areas, and a hotel.


NEW RECORD: Longest journey by solar electric vehicle
Germany - December 15, 2012

The longest journey by solar electric vehicle is 29,753 km (18,487 miles) and was achieved by the Solar Car Project Hochschule Bochum (Germany) who travelled around the world departing Adelaide, Australia on 26 October 2011 and finishing in Mount Barker, Australia on 15 December 2012.


NEW RECORD: Largest single solar thermal collector
Austria - January 31, 2014

The largest single solar thermal collector measures 70.70 m² (761 ft²) and was achieved by Siko Solar GmbH (Austria), in Innsbruck, Austria, on 31 January 2014. The solar collector was 20.80 m long and 3.40 m wide.


NEW RECORD: First circumnavigation by solar-powered boat
Monaco - May 4, 2012

MS TÛRANOR PlanetSolar (Switzerland) circumnavigated the world in a westward direction from Monaco in 1 year 7 months and 7 days from 27 September 2010 to 4 May 2012 on solar power only. The boat had accumulated 32,410 nautical miles (60,023 km; 37,296 miles) on its arrival in Monaco.


NEW RECORD: Fastest crossing of the Atlantic by solar power
France - May 18, 2013

The fastest transatlantic crossing made completely under solar power is 22 days 12 hr 32 min by MS TÛRANOR PlanetSolar (Switzerland) and its crew of six from Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Spain to Marigot, Saint Martin, from 26 April to 18 May 2013.


NEW RECORD: Largest solar oven cooking class
India - January 4, 2014

The largest solar oven cooking class consisted of 3,639 participants, achieved by Keshav Srushti (India) in Mumbai, India on 04 January 2014. Students of the Suryakumbha solar oven cooking class first built solar ovens, then made a meal of vegetable masala noodles.


UNCHANGED: Most powerful solar chimney
Spain - February 8, 2005

Enviromission's prototype solar chimney power station in Manzanares, Spain, produced 50 kilowatts of electricity between 1982 and 1989. It consisted of a large area of greenhouses, in which air, heated by the Sun, expanded upwards through a 656 foot central tower, powering turbines as it escaped into the atmosphere.


UNCHANGED: Longest flight by solar powered spy plane
United States - July 23, 2010

Zephyr is a High-Altitude Long-Endurance Unmanned Aerial Vehicle made of ultra-lightweight carbon-fiber. It flies on solar power generated by amorphous silicon arrays covering the aircraft’s wings, no thicker than sheets of paper. It is powered day and night by rechargeable lithium-sulphur batteries that are recharged during the day using solar power. On July 9th, 2010, Zephyr was launched at 0641hours and set three new world records. The flight took place above the US Army's Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona and the aircraft was landed on the morning of July 23rd.

Contact Wayne's Solar when you are ready to be amazed by the amount of money you can save by switching to solar power for your Florida home energy needs.

The Ideology of Solar: An Interview with Wayne Phillips

Wayne Phillips is the founder and owner of Wayne's Solar, an Ormond Beach-based full service green energy solutions provider.  

Wayne has been in the solar business since 1983.  His company currently serves customers in Duval, Volusia, Flagler, St. Johns, Putnam, and Clay Counties, Florida.

1) You celebrated 30 years in the solar industry last year - what was your occupation before you got into solar? 

Previous to my solar career I spent many years as a land surveyor.

2) How did you get into solar thermal pool heating and what was the business like in those early days?

While living in Ormond Beach I met a neighbor who had just moved into his home; he was already established in the solar industry and I started to talk to him about heating my swimming pool. After learning about the process and purchasing my own heater I was convinced that solar had a tremendous future. The ideology of solar heating is the same back then as it is now, but in today's market the products and materials are much better and the amount of residential solar products available has expanded.

3) Did you have any idea that solar energy solutions would become so popular?

Back when I entered the market I just had a gut feeling that solar products and systems were going to expand. It was a money saving system that fit a need. With that said I had no idea to the extent solar solutions would become.

4) You and Pat have a highly energy efficient home yourself - what all do you have installed at this point?

For my house I have in place every solar product that we offer our customers. That includes a solar electric (or photovoltaic) system for electric power, a solar hot water system for everyday house hot water, solar pool heating for the swimming pool, solar attic ventilation to help cool the attic of my home, as well as solar lighting to brighten up some of my darker rooms without having to turn on energy consuming lights.

5) What's the size of your home and the lowest energy bill you have had so far?

My home has a foot print of 2,100 square feet and my lowest energy bill to date has been $18.00

6) What in your opinion is the perfect temperature for a heated pool and a spa?

The "perfect" temperature for a swimming pool or spa is very subjective. My personal comfort level is around 86 degrees for the pool and 101 degrees for the spa.

7) What do you plan to install next in your green powered home?

I already have every solar product available on my home, but I have always been intrigued with wind production. Currently in Florida we have an obstacle for wind systems due to the hurricane wind factors that we must account for. We are working on a solution for this now.

8) Do you have any new products you are excited about offering to your customers?

There are two new products that we have had a lot of success with already. The first is the new variable speed pool pump that simply slows the flow of water down and in return uses less power, and the other is a high efficiency pool/spa pump that can capture free heat from the pump motor and transfer that heat it to the water.

9) What do you think is coming up next for the solar industry - any surprises in store?

New solar products on the horizon include an increase in the power potential of the solar electric panels. The panels keep adding more efficiency where we can produce double the power with that same size panel from a few years ago. We are also seeing a lot of effort to make solar products easier to monitor and manipulate. Some software is already available, and some will be out soon, which allows home owners to control the temperatures of the pool with smart phones and laptops. Right now you can monitor any of our solar electric systems to see exactly how much power it is producing at any given moment.

10) All of your solar products are made in the USA - what is your opinion of the solar panels made in China we keep hearing about?

China is a large producer of solar electric panels and those panel do perform out of the box. They use cheaper materials and package a panel for less money. It is no different then the other products China builds and imports to our country. The problems come with the panels longevity and break down. If you use cheaper internal materials to build the panel, as those materials prematurely break down, the panel loses it power potential. Internal components such as the ingots, the silicone chips, the resin, glass, and the semiconductors used have to be of top quality standards or the panel will fail in Florida's climate.

11) Your company has virtually no employee turnover - what is your secret to finding great workers and keeping them?

One underrated strategy we utilize for our staff and hiring procedures is input from our current employees. We find that good quality people tend to stick together. When we need to expand our staff, we talk to our qualified employees first to see if they know a good candidate to join our team. Of all our hiring strategies, this one by far has given us the best results. The reason we have such great employee retention is that we treat every employee with tremendous respect, we teach them a valuable skill set, and we try to add the element of fun which often gets lost when work is so busy. We want them to genuinely appreciate the job they were given as much as I appreciate their efforts.

12) Where do you see yourself and your company 30 years from now?

In 30 years obviously I see myself retired. If the company continues to grow like it has previously I can only imagine how large we will be. My plan is to turn this corporation over to the employees that helped us grow and become what we are. Although I think it will be hard to let go completely of something that I created, I feel that I will always be a part of this, even if its in the background of the operation.