Aviva, the global savings, investment and insurance group, today announced its sponsorship of the Aviva Southern Aurora solar car, an entrant in the 2007 Panasonic World Solar Challenge race.
Aviva, the global savings, investment and insurance group, today announced its sponsorship of the Aviva Southern Aurora solar car, an entrant in the 2007 Panasonic World Solar Challenge race.
The space age cars competing in the Panasonic World Solar Challenge will travel between Darwin and Adelaide using only the sun’s radiation for power. This clean and sustainable event sees the cars reaching the legal speed limits on the open highway in a 3,000km race - nearly 10 times as far as a Grand Prix but with zero carbon emissions.
Allan Griffiths, chief executive officer of Aviva Australia, said the sponsorship reinforces Aviva’s focus on building a better tomorrow and is a further endorsement of Aviva plc’s decision to be the first insurer to carbon neutralize its businesses on a worldwide basis.
The 2007 race, which begins on October 21, has attracted more than 40 international entrants. Aviva Southern Aurora will utilise Aviva’s support to research and enhance the car’s capabilities to run on two 100% renewable energy sources – the sun and human ingenuity!
Hailing from the country Victorian town of Hamilton, and based at the RMIT campus there, the Aviva Southern Aurora team is made up of six professionals, including an IT business consultant, design engineer and a farmer, plus two high school students and two tertiary students with further information at www.avivasolarcar.com.
Grant Salmon, chief operating officer at Aviva Australia launched the sponsorship today at Albert Park in Melbourne. “The sponsorship is critical for developing, and raising the profile of environmentally friendly energy sources for transport,” said Grant. “Aviva’s support for research into alternative energy sources is a step towards reducing Australia’s growing contribution to carbon dioxide emissions.”
Australian’s produce 1.4% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, and around 14% of these emissions are a result of transport.[1] Australia’s rate of greenhouse gas emissions is the highest in the industrialised world at 27.9 tonnes per person.[2]
“Aviva’s partnership with the Aviva Southern Aurora team also provides opportunity for critical research into renewable and sustainable energy by the student members of the team. Aviva strongly believes in providing young people with the opportunity to help shape the future. Our strategy for the future is to make sure there is a future for our children,” said Grant.
The Aviva Aurora Solar car will fine tune its efficiency as a solar car by competing in many lead-up events to the World Solar Challenge, such as the RACV Human Powered Vehicle event and the Hamilton test events. The team will keep a log of the car’s progress and which will be available through www.avivasolarcar.com
-end-
[1] Australian Greenhouse office, www.greenhouse.gov.au, accessed 2 March 2007.
[2] Climate Change – Annual Greenhouse gas Emission for South Australia http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/reporting/atmosphere/climate_change/
annual_emissions.html, accessed on 2 March 2007.
For further information please contact:
Tim Cobb
General Manager Marketing and Public Relations
Phone: (03) 9829 8509
Mobile: 0418 529 387
Notes to editors:
- Aviva Australia is a group of two specialist financial services companies: Navigator and Norwich Union Life Australia Ltd. Portfolio Partners is the Australian funds management arm of Aviva plc. Through these companies we provide products and services in the areas of wealth creation and wealth protection for more than 300,000 customers throughout Australia.
- Aviva is one of the leading providers of life and pensions to Europe with substantial positions in other markets around the world, making it the world’s fifth largest insurance group based on gross worldwide premiums at 31 December 2005.
- Aviva’s principal business activities are long-term savings, fund management and general insurance, with worldwide total sales of Ł41.5 billion and assets under management of Ł364 billion at 31 December 2006.
- The information in this document reflects Aviva Australia Holdings Limited (ABN 38 095 045 784) understanding of existing legislation, proposed legislation, rulings etc as at the date of issue. In some cases the information has been provided to us by third parties. While it is believed the information is accurate and reliable, this is not guaranteed in any way. The information given in this document is of a general nature and has not taken into account the investment objectives, financial situation or particular needs of any particular person and it is not a substitute for professional advice. Applications to invest in a financial product issued by Aviva, or any of its related entities, must be made by completing the application form attached to the applicable Product Disclosure Statement ("PDS"). A PDS is available from Aviva or your financial adviser. Before making an investment decision on the basis of the information above, a prospective investor needs to consider, with or without the assistance of a professional adviser whether the information is appropriate in the light of their particular investment needs, objectives and financial circumstances. Aviva does not receive any remuneration in relation to the provision of information available from this press release which is of a general nature only.
- Carbon neutral means that Aviva will commission verified carbon brokers to absorb or reduce carbon output on our behalf - for example, through supporting the generation of zero-emission electricity.
- Aviva plc has a preference for projects in countries where we operate, which will not only offset our carbon emissions, but will help local communities.