In the last week of September, the Obama Administration unveiled new guidelines for limiting greenhouse gas emissions from U.S. power plants; the move was swiftly described as an attempt to consolidate the legacy of President Obama in the battle against climate change.
A couple of hours earlier, in the sky above Switzerland, there was a critical event that changed the course of the way we generate and utilize energy. It didn’t garner the same media attention as the White House’s announcement; however, by its very nature, it could influence our perception of the possibilities available in the energy industry that are still considered “alternative.”
I’m referring to the inaugural flight of Solar Impulse 2, an odd-looking but impressive aircraft powered solely by solar power to travel. It has a wingspan of around 300 feet, more than the Boeing 747, and a weight of less than 5,000 pounds (much lighter than cars.).
These wings are adorned with more than 17,000 solar panels that provide power to four electric motors that propellers to spin. The sun is the main force behind it during the day. Batteries that are powered by stored energy perform the job during the night.
On Monday, the Solar Impulse 2 flew for two hours with no issues, even though it was at a speed we would all think is a bit slow for the size of a plane. Its maximum speed at cruise altitude is 88 miles per hour. Most of the time, it will fly slower, close to 40 miles an hour at night; it’s slower but still conserves battery energy.
It’s an ounce crazy to learn that the flight and other trials later in the year will lead to the most crucial test to see a planned journey across the globe beginning in March.
If you travel continuously, it is possible to travel across the globe in less than 80 days with this aircraft. According to the latest estimates, it could be completed in 25 days and nights, or around 500 hours of flying. The trip will have to be divided into six or five stages over some time, primarily to benefit those two pilots who rotate the control.
There’s only room for one person on the plane; it’s lengthy periods inside the cockpit–as long as five days as the aircraft travels through the Pacific Ocean. To accommodate the pilot’s primary needs, the seat transforms into a recliner and can be used as a toilet. The pilot will live in a space that is not as big as the inside of a mini-Cooper. But it expands enough for him to be able to complete physical exercises. The cockpit isn’t pressurized and does not have heating, but it’s filled with high-density thermal insulation. In an emergency, the worst happens; a parachute and a life raft are packed in the rear side of the seats.
The two pilots who will fly Solar Impulse 2, Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg, know what they’re getting into. They’ve been working on the technology for 12 years and even had the opportunity to test it this year when they took flight with a smaller model predecessor, Solar Impulse 1, in a series of flights throughout the U.S.
In preparation for their journey across Earth, Piccard and Borschberg were instructed in self-hypnosis and meditation techniques to help them focus. They’ve also learned how to sleep polyphasic, taking several breaks during their day but no more than 20 minutes. In addition, since weight should be limited to a minimum, they can only carry around five pounds of meals and about 84oz of water per day. Experts in high-altitude medicine have developed a diet plan to follow as they traverse the skies.
It’s no exaggeration to claim it’s in Piccard’s blood. In 1960, Piccard’s father, Jacques, was one of two men on the bathysphere lowered in the Marianas Trench, the deepest part of the oceans in the world. In 1931, his grandfather, Auguste, became the very first balloonist to ascend the stratosphere of Earth.
In 1999, Bertrand, as co-pilot, piloted his balloon powered by gas that flew continuously around the globe. On that flight, he nearly could not get propane when traversing the Atlantic and decided to look for ways to fly without fuel or fuel. He and Borschberg worked for years on making plans, designing, and looking for investors – which was no easy task- but they persevered. 2010 In 2010, the Solar Impulse 1 made the first night-time flight powered by solar power over Switzerland.
As they prepare for the planned circumnavigation next year of the planet, the duo do not have any doubts regarding the consequences the mission will have on humanity. They don’t intend to revolutionize the human experience of flight, which isn’t feasible for the foreseeable future. What they’re doing is pushing the limits of solar technology. For instance, the motors’ batteries were constructed with an exceptionally high energy density. The carbon fiber tubes from which the plane is built are much lighter than paper.
According to Piccard, the goal is to broaden potential possibilities for what is possible using renewable energy sources.
“Our goal,” he said to Solar Power World, “is to show that it’s now feasible to accomplish what was previously thought impossible with fossil fuels. Today’s society requires us to nurture the pioneering spirit to free ourselves from the beliefs and practices that keep us captive to the traditional ways of doing things as well as thinking.”
Other solar planes with experimental designs are available but designed to operate without manned. One such aircraft named Solara, developed by Titan Aerospace, a Titan Aerospace company Titan Aerospace, is aiming to be more akin to satellites. According to Tree Hugger, It can fly higher in altitudes, remain airborne for up to 5 years, and be used for emergency response and surveillance.
The Solar Impulse 2 may be closer to the real world than that effort; however, it isn’t likely to be widely used now. It’s still an experimental plane without commercial applications currently. The main focus right now, Piccard said, is not just the March flight but the growing awareness of the future of technology.
“This is a symbol of what we can achieve … it’s not any more completely stupid to get rid of fossil energies,” Piccard declared in his TED speech (below). “Success will not come if we just fly around the world in a solar-powered airplane. The real success will come if enough people are motivated to do exactly the same in their daily life: save energy, go to renewables. This is possible.”