Sponsored Activities

Migaloo 2

The Migaloo 2 is a 45ft whale conservation yacht that is used as a platform to raise awareness on critical issues facing whales, dolphins and the marine environment.

Migaloo 2 will travel along the east coast of Australia to Hervey Bay during the humpback whale migration visiting ports along the way, doing actions, showing films and giving talks.

Rainbow Power Company donated 3 Kyocera solar panels and installation equipment valued at over $1,000 which shall power the internet live streams available from the Migaloo website.

A 60 minute documentary called 'Flight of the humpback' will be produced along the way - depicting the battle to save endangered Australian humpback and other endangered whales.

Energy Explorer - Mobile Energy Education Unit

Energy Education for Kids

Rainbow Power Company received a call for help with a display microhydro generator. Indy Lingam, with his Mobile Energy Education Unit, needed something more sophisticated than his clear box with a pelton wheel (which was leaking) to demonstrate to schoolchildren how hydro energy works.

We modified one of our Rainbow Micro Hydro casings to suit and installed a small light to illuminate the pelton wheel as it spins the water around. Indy was delighted with the result and you can see it if you visit the "Energy Explorer" Mobile Energy Education Unit which is currently touring schools in Victoria. Indy will soon have his website up and running and will link to Rainbow Power Company's website.

Read the Energy Explorer leaflet.

Cliff Guy Productions - Australian Adventure

Solar Powered 4WD? - not quite

RPC have proudly sponsored and equipped Cliff Guy Productions' Australian Adventure Toyota LandCruiser with a state of the art solar power system, enabling Cliff and his television production crews to charge and run all equipment pertinent to filming, editing and extended stays in remote areas. Alongside a range of media work with CGP, Cliff is also presenter and director on the high rating Channel 10 series Escape with ET and says:

Quote: "The Rainbow Power Company has all the answers when it comes to alternative power sources. We required our 4WD set up and powered to cater for all our field work in remote areas, and in just a few days our vehicle was transformed to perfection. Look no further than the professional RPC team for your vehicle, home or business 'energy from nature' requirements" Cliff Guy

John Rymill Memorial Antarctic Kayak Expedition

Laurie Geoghegan, Stuart Trueman, and Andrew McAuley have extensive experience with decades of sea kayaking, mountaineering and outdoor adventure between them.
They will disembark the yacht at the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, and paddle their sea kayaks unsupported for over 1,000km south along the coast to Marguerite Bay – further south than any sea kayak in the world has ever been before. This challenging expedition on the world’s harshest continent requires an enormous amount of planning, preparation and training.

The Cure for Life Foundation™ was set up by world renowned, paediatric neurosurgeon, Dr Charles Teo. 
Its role is to help fund advancements in the treatment of brain cancer, hopefully one day leading to a cure. The Cure for Life Foundation™ is also committed to providing ongoing support for vital research into the treatment of malignant and low-grade brain tumours. The main objective for 2005 is to raise $500,000 to support the new children’s brain tumour rehabilitation programme and fund vital research into the causes of brain tumours on a molecular basis.

This expedition plans to raise awareness of the Cure for Life Foundation's activities.

Rainbow Power Company provided a small solar panel and some advice to this intrepid team.

NB: On 9/2/2007 Andrew McAuley went missing in an attempt to kayak from Australia to New Zealand. After searching about 25,000 square kilometres, authorities in New Zealand called off a hunt for McAuley on 13/2/2007.
RPC wish the family and associates of Andrew their sympathy in this trying time.

Mike Rowney

Rainbow Power Company is proud to sponsor Mike Rowney, a paraplegic who damaged his spine in 2001 after a fall in a boatyard. He is sailing the Gypsy Rose, a 26-foot International Folk boat; a Swedish design built in Australia in 1980. He sailed out of Fremantle, Western Australia in April 2005 and headed north.

He will circumnavigate Australia as a project to show, despite his handicap, what can be achieved and to encourage other wheelchair bound people to 'have a go'. The first leg of his remarkable 7,000 km voyage will be with 15 other yachts on the Variety West Coast Splash Yacht Rally.

This will grant Mike the company of other boats into various ports as far as Broome, where he'll continue his voyage to approximately 38 ports around Australia.

Andreas Dagelet

Hand cycle around Australia

Andreas Dagelet is a paraplegic who had the unfortunate experience of falling from a tree whilst in New Zealand, on the 10th April 1995; at the time he was a member of The New Zealand RAF. The saying "you can't keep a good man down" could not be truer in Andreas’ case. On the tenth anniversary of the fall he set off to ride a hand cycle around Australia. Leaving Coochiemudlo Island on the 10th April 2005. Travelling anti-clockwise to take advantage of prevailing winds.

Rainbow Power Co. provided the team with a 50 Watt Kyocera solar panel, a 200 Watt Selectronic Inverter, a solar regulator and an AGM battery, so that Andreas can keep up his hand cycle blog whilst travelling.

On the journey Andreas is calling into as many local schools as he can. "This guy is truly amazing. If only a little bit of his fortitude rubs off on just some of the kids he will meet, then this journey will be well worthwhile” said Dave Christmas of Rainbow Power.

2010 Update: At the beginning of February RPC had the pleasure of hosting, for a couple of days, Andreas Dagelet, his brother Renee, and Bek and Kat who are part of his support crew. The purpose of the visit was for RPC to install some solar gear on his vehicles to assist in the remarkable journey they are about to undertake.

RPC were happy to sponsor two 85Watt solar panels, two Latronics sine wave inverters, fusing, cabling, and installation. Our battery supplier Alco Batteries "came to the party" with two 100Ah deep cycle "Gel" batteries, (thanks Barry).

This time there is another worthwhile purpose behind the reason for the visit. This time, Andreas and another paraplegic Dale Elliot, Australia's first paraplegic skydiver, intend riding their handcycles 5,000 klms from Melbourne to Darwin. The journey officially kicked off on Wednesday the 17th Feb 2010, and along with again visiting many schools along the way there is also another reason behind the ride.

Andreas and Dale are raising money to help cure children born with Club Foot in Africa. They are aiming for $200,000 so they can help 1000 kids. Every $200 they raise gives another child the chance to walk properly.

Watch a YouTube video.

Las Gitanas

Las Gitanas in Nimbin

Rainbow Power Company also sponsors a talented Nimbin based dance/performance troupe, "Las Gitanas", who are "up north" for the winter of 2005. They are travelling to remote areas of Queensland as far as Cape Tribulation, entertaining and holding workshops for those unable to attend established venues. 
Their show is made up of an eclectic mix of styles including a raunchy can-can, traditional belly dancing, martial arts, ultraviolet light trapeze, flamenco, line dancing and more…..

Mobile Power Supply

After a bit of discussion, our techos at Rainbow Power Company fitted an automatic battery isolator to the van, designed for easy removal – in short, wired up a portable power source for the troupe so they can run a small stereo for sound, a public address system to call them all on down to the show, and an ultra violet fluorescent light along with other show lights, for up to three hours.