By Martin Banks - 12th April 2008
Ambitious plans for a round-the-world trip by a solar-powered plane have been described as a “wake-up” call to the aviation industry.
EU transport commissioner Jacques Barrot says the plan should encourage the industry to “take up the challenge” of clean mobility.
“It is an example that should be followed by all players within society, a symbol of what we should be aspiring to.”
Barrot was speaking in parliament on Wednesday where he gave the commission’s backing to the so-called ‘Solar Impulse” project.
The aim of the project is to harness the power of the sun to propel an aeroplane, day and night by solar power, around the world without fuel or polluting emissions.
The first prototype plane is currently being built in Dübendorf, close to Zurich. It will have a wingspan of 61 metres and weigh 1,500 kg.
The test flights are scheduled to start early next year.
A second aircraft will then be developed, ending with the crossing of the Atlantic in 2011 followed by the first round-the-world flight.
Barrot said, “For the commission, Solar Impulse is an example of what industry and energy policy makers should be doing to foster energy efficiency and clean mobility.
“A world without the aeroplane is unimaginable. But we still do not have a blueprint for the aeroplane of the future, an environmentally-friendly aeroplane.
“Taking today’s technologies and materials to their limits and beyond to accelerate the emergence of tomorrow’s technologies is the challenge embodied in this project.”
French centre right deputy Christine de Veyrac said, “Fighting against climate change by dissuading people from air travel is absurd. What we need to do is reconcile mobility and respect for the environment, which is the very essence of the Solar Impulse project.
“This project should not only spawn technological advances but also raise awareness among Europeans of the need to respect the environment and put the spotlight on the problem of depleting energy resources.”
Speaking at the same event, André Borschberg, CEO and pilot of the project, said, “The only way of being able to fly only on solar energy is to save as much energy as possible and to exploit the available resources to a maximum.
“The research carried out within the framework of the Solar Impulse already shows that we can save impressive quantities of energy. In this sense, the project has been invaluable in triggering developments that will come about in areas other than aviation.”
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