Microsemi technology helps power Belgian bid to win Solar Challenge
Microsemi Corporation (Nasdaq:MSCC), a manufacturer of analog mixed signal integrated 
circuits and high reliability semiconductors, today announced that it is a sponsor of the Umicore Belgian Solar Team in the 10th World Solar Challenge event in Australia from October 24 - October 31, 2009. Participants will compete on a 3,000-kilometer course from Darwin to Adelaide, in cars fueled only by solar energy.
A bronze-level sponsor of the Umicore Belgian team, Microsemi was selected to provide critical solar bypass diodes for power-generation panels in the team's car, an application not unlike how the company's products are used in satellite solar panels.
The bypass diodes are part of Microsemi's extensive portfolio of energy-management products for applications in alternative energy, oil and gas exploration, electric vehicles, energy saving (including intelligent lighting control), and plasma generation for semiconductor, solar cell, LCD panel, and industrial glass manufacturing. In addition to its bypass diodes for satellite solar panels, Microsemi also offers a variety of other solar products including bypass integrated circuits and power modules for solar inverters.
"Microsemi is pleased to be supporting the Belgian Solar Vehicle Team in its bid to better its impressive second place finish in the 2007 championships," said Bertho Simons, director of Microsemi's European solar program. "We are gratified to be showcased alongside other technologies that the team has carefully selected from among the world's top providers. We share the team's goal of demonstrating innovation excellence while raising energy awareness, and we appreciate this opportunity to highlight our commitment to delivering
high-quality, high-performance solar and other energy products and technologies
for a cleaner, greener world."
The Umicore Belgian Solar Team consists of 15 individuals including engineering students and graduates of the Group T international university in Leuven, Belgium. The team, which will be competing for the third time in the biennial World Solar Challenge against the world's top technical universities, took second place in the 2007 competition with an average speed 88.05 Km/h.
The competition is generally considered to be the ultimate challenge for solar car builders. The team will be entered in the prestigious Challenge Class race, in which each car must be personally designed - a rigorous test of professionalism, innovation and ingenuity.
About the World Solar Challenge The biennial World Solar Challenge is part of the Global Green Challenge, which is an evolution of the historic and very successful World Solar Challenge that has been staged since 1987. The Global Green Challenge combines the technical brilliance of the Solar Cars with the practical results of low emission vehicles
destined to the marketplace and individually tested against the harshness of the Australian Environment. In recent years the event has featured a demonstration of practical technology. The practical technologies aspect has come of age and will be presented as a competition with measurable results as an Eco Challenge for a range of low emission and alternative fuel supply vehicles. The Global Green Challenge is organised by the South Australian Motorsport Board and supported by the South Australian and Northern Territory Governments. Major sponsors are the South Australian Tourism Commission and Internode, one of Australia's foremost Internet Service Providers.
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