From powering wineries and music festivals to harvesting energy from deep in space, there is no shortage of new and creative applications for solar energy. Now Swiss pilots and adventurers Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg have taken their idea for a solar-powered airplane to the skies in the hopes of setting a new world record and getting more people on board with solar power.

Around the World

Piccard and Borschberg are in the midst of flying the Solar Impulse 2, which is completely powered by solar energy, around the world. If the duo succeeds, the journey will be the first of its kind for a solar powered plane.

Solar Impulse 2 took off from Abu Dhabi in March of 2015 with Borschberg and Piccard each flying different legs of the trip. Along the way, the team has stopped to make repairs and show off the technology in different ports of call around the world.

In April the Solar Impulse 2 set one world record — the first solar powered flight above North America. On May 3 Borschberg landed in Phoenix, where the plane will be on display.

A Tough Leg

Because the Solar Impulse 2 doesn’t need to refuel, it can take on some long trips. The small plane only has room for one, though, which made a five-day, five-night flight from Japan to Hawaii especially challenging for Borschberg.

“It has been difficult to sleep. We have sleeping periods of 20 minutes maximum, but to go into enough of a relaxed mode is difficult,” he explained. “Normally you are told not to sleep when you are a pilot and in a cockpit. Now it is the opposite, and it takes training and mental strength to believe that the aircraft will perform well when I sleep. Yoga and meditation helps.”

Piccard and Borschberg say the Solar Impulse 2 isn’t more susceptible to inclement weather, but they are timing flights around clear periods. Getting around the world is more important to the pair than putting the technology through an extra test.

Revolutionary Technology

Twenty-six percent of greenhouse gas emissions come from the transportation industry, which is second only to electricity in terms of its massive output. Continued research into how solar energy can be used to move people and goods could lead to some major decreases in greenhouse gas emissions.

The major hurdle to any solar powered project is what to do when the sun goes down. Rather than weigh the Solar Impulse 2 down with huge batteries and solar arrays, the plane relies on extremely energy efficient technology to allow it to run day and night.

“I am collecting energy during the day through solar panels, and we have to have the highest efficiency to make it to the following day,” said Borschberg. “Our motors have an efficiency of 97 percent. A typical car engine is barely 30 percent; meaning 70 percent of the fuel is burned for nothing. We see it works, and we can use them everywhere, which is the goal of our demonstration.”

Interested in how installing solar panels on your roof can help you drive your electric bill down to zero? Contact us for a free quote.