The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), an agency that assists developing countries in implementing environmentally sound policies and practices, has announced its support for an incredible initiative announced by two scientists who developed a completely solar aircraft which they will fly around the world in order to demonstrate how clean technologies can change the world.
Solar Impulse is a Swiss-made, long-range, solar-powered aircraft pioneered by Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg. After conducting a pilot test in 2009, the duo settled to improve on the prototype, making a slightly larger designed dubbed Solar Impulse 2 (Si2) in 2014. Earlier in the month, Si2 began a tour of the globe departing from Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates on a five month journey round the world, after which it will return to its departure point in August.
The flight path includes stops in Muscat, Oman; Ahmedabad and Varanasi, India; Mandalay, Myanmar; and Chongqing and Nanjing, China. After crossing the Pacific Ocean via Hawaii, Si2 will fly across the U.S.A. stopping in Phoenix, the Midwest, and New York City at JFK. After crossing the Atlantic Ocean, the final legs include a stop-over in Southern Europe or North Africa before completing the Round-The-World flight at its final destination in Abu Dhabi.
This attempt comes after 12 years of research, tests and development. “Using only solar energy and clean technology, the Swiss-born duo, who are ardent advocates for a clean future, will take turns flying the single-seater aircraft, starting from Abu Dhabi for the first of 12 flights spread over a period of five months,” a statement from the UNEP read.
UNEP has supported this initiative because it believes the attempt will help demonstrate “how a new low-carbon economy is needed and possible.”
Piccard and Borschberg made their intentions crystal clear with the following words in a joint statement; “With Solar Impulse, we want to demonstrate how clean technologies can simultaneously protect the environment and create job and profit opportunities, bringing more energy-efficient products on the market.”
The Si2 is a revolutionary single-seater aircraft made of carbon fiber with a 72 meter wingspan (larger than that of the Boeing 747-8I) and a weight of just 2,300 kg – the equivalent to that of a car. As the only airplane able to fly day and night without a drop of fuel, Si2 is equipped with 17,000 solar cells built into the wing. During the day, the solar cells recharge lithium batteries weighing 633 Kg (2077 lbs) which allow the aircraft to fly at night; needless to say, it is a miracle of innovation.
Apart from the UNEP, this initiative is also supported by Solvay, Omega, Schindler, ABB, and Official Partners Google, Altran, Bayer MaterialScience, Swiss Re Corporate Solutions, Swisscom and MoëtHennessy.
By Emmanuel Iruobe
