1 min read
You may have heard of solar-powered cars… but what about solar-powered airplanes?
Solar Impulse II, an aircraft that’s powered entirely by solar energy, is on the last leg of the first ever fuel-free flight around the globe. Having left Cairo, Egypt on Sunday, it’ll arrive in Abu Dhabi within 48 to 72 hours from takeoff.
The plane, a single-seater, has been piloted in turns by Swiss aviators Andre Borschberg and Bertrand Piccard in hopes of raising support for clean energy technologies. Not only are the plane’s founders and pilots making history with clean energy, but their execution is groundbreaking: only a few years ago, flying without fuel or other polluting emissions was deemed impossible.
And yet, Solar Impulse II flies without a single drop of fuel. Instead, its four engines are powered completely by energy collected during the day. While it’s not the first solar-powered plane (that was Solar Impulse I), excess energy is stored in batteries, enabling the plane to fly at night. In fact, the plane began the last leg of its journey in darkness.
It’s an ingenious design. The carbon fibre plane has more than 17,000 solar cells in its wings (which are bigger than those on a Boeing 747, the most common American commercial jet airliner and cargo aircraft), weighs about the same amount as the family car, can climb to about 28,000 ft (most commercial planes fly at 30,000 ft), and moseys along at a peaceful 34-62 mph (quite a bit slower than a Boeing 747’s average of 550-600 mph).
The Solar Impulse creators want to focus on the hope and innovation of clean technologies, as well as inventive solutions in lightweight structures, energy storage, and energy efficiency. They hope to correct the stereotype that sustainable lifestyles are associated with crippling costs and instead show that green technology is viable. Indeed, they hope to inspire future generations to commit to more sustainable lifestyles. Their message is clear: save our natural resources to improve our quality of life.
While the great adventure is set to end at around 7pm today, the legacy inspired by it will last for decades to come. Clean technologies, such as the ones developed and tested for Solar Impulse, could cut the energy we consume on a daily basis by 50 percent.
Interested in learning about how easy it could be for you to go solar? Call or contact us at 407.331.9077. We’d love to talk to you about saving with solar.
