Around The World On Wings Of The Sun (VIDEO)
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Taking turns at the controls of Solar Impulse 2 (Si2) — the revolutionary zero-emission solar-powered airplane — pilots Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg have succeeded in their mission of achieving the first ever Round-The-World Solar Flight.
The four-engine plane can fly day and night without a drop of conventional fuel. Its range is limited only by the physical endurance of the pilot. Says the history-making team:
“We made it around the world. 40,000 kilometers [24,855 miles] without fuel, a first for energy.”
Piccard touched ground yesterday, July 26, at 00:05 UTC, 2:05AM CEST (8:05PM EDT, July 25th) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The first solar-only circumnavigation in history originated in Abu Dhabi just over a year ago. Watch video of the plane landing here! By arriving back in Abu Dhabi after a total of 21 days of flight over a 17-leg journey, Si2 has proven that clean technologies can achieve what people previously thought impossible.
Now that they have reached this historic milestone, the two Swiss pioneers will continue to urge global implementation of energy-efficient solutions — the central focus of their original mission. See previous CleanTechnica articles on the trials and magic of the expedition and the new age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution at this link.
Piccard and Borschberg have been instrumental in creating a powerful new International Committee for Clean Technologies. This group, which we described in more detail here, will leverage the expertise and technology gained over years of Solar Impulse planning and development.
It is already involved in innovative and profitable uses of sustainable “green” technologies such as the development of ultra-lightweight materials and multiple-use solar-powered drones. The team also predicts solar passenger planes within the next 10 years, as well as improvements in power grid flexibility, “smart” home and industrial technology, lighting, batteries, and other human utilities systems. Join the movement with this hashtag: #futureisclean
Also, you can scroll the logbook from the history-making journey and access fabulous photos and video here!
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