"Plans are only good intentions unless they immediately degenerate into hard work !" (Peter Drucker)
Monday, October 18, 2010
Solar planes-Fossil Fuel Free Planes
An airplane that produces more energy than it consumes…an airplane that can fly around the world on solar energy, with no additional fuel, and pollution free. For now, that is just a dream of Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borscherg, the pioneers of Solar Impulse, a fuel free airplane. These two men are the fonder of one of the greatest technological innovations in the history. It is estimated that in 2012, Solar planes will fly around the globe. In order for this to happen however, this brilliant team of engineers needs to figure out how to make it light enough and how to create photovoltaic cells to sustain its weight through the air.
In the morning of July 7th, 2010, the Solar Impulse took off from the Payerne airbase, in Switzerland, under the control of Borscherg, and reached an altitude of 8700 meters: “(…) reached an altitude of 8,700 meters. With the help of its 12,000 solar panels built into its enormous 63.4 meter wing, its 400kg of batteries were fully charged during this long ascent”. Before the night occurred, the prototype descended for a short period of time, after which it continued its journey, until the following morning. Moreover, it produced power, as CEO Andre Borscherg states: “During the whole of the flight, I just sat there and watched the battery charge level rise and rise! Sitting in a plane producing more energy than it consumes is a fantastic feeling”. Creating a plane that supplies itself with fuel and that doesn’t require any additional power, is a good example of a sustainable alternative to the traditional planes, and not only. It is a great example of the fact that sustainability is possible.
The commitment and devotion of this team of engineers, is impressive. In an interview done by Design News, Claude Michael, head of the Solvay-Solar Impulse partnership: "In terms of technical constraints, the question is very simple," Michel told Design News. "We need a surface area of photovoltaic that delivers enough energy to put into the air a certain amount of weight. This is what we call the equation of the Solar Impulse. One square meter in photovoltaic delivers 30 watts, and with that 30 watts, we can put 8 kg (2.2 lb) in the air. This is our target, and it is an everyday obsession." (2)
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