Solar Impulse: the planet of 21st century.
The “green” plane Solar Impulse is the special guest of the International Paris Air Show and it is attracting everyone attention. Last July, the plane held a historic flight of 26 hours, day and night without fuel, flying only on solar energy.
The initiative has been praised by the Minister of Economy, Industry and Finance Christine Lagarde this morning, when she discovered the plane in the lounge. The aircraft is powered by four electric 10 horsepower motors and 12,000 solar cells, with a configuration that allows the plane to fly 64 km per hour. The plane can fly at the altitude of 8534 meters and when it gets there, the plane is able to gather enough solar energy to continue flying after the sun goes down.
The plane has almost the same size of an Airbus 340 and a minimum weight. Everything was planned and designed to save energy and withstand harsh conditions at high altitudes: the carbon fire structure, the chain of propulsion and on board instrumentation.
The Solar Impulse Project wants to show that if a plane can fly with solar energy, many other equipment and machines, including cars, can use renewable energy sources. The important thing is to be green!