If you find the idea of flying at night using stored solar energy a little alarming you might want to stop reading. There is a growing interest in using solar energy to power airplanes for commercial and military purposes. At the moment it seems that military functions are the most promising but that hasn't stopped André Borschberg, CEO and co-founder of the Solar Impulse project, from pursuing his dream of solar powered flight.
Borschberg made international headlines in July 2010 when he completed the first 24-hour solar powered flight. As remarkable a feat as this is, we're still a long way from long-distance commercial flights. What he proved is that it's possible for a small single-pilot aircraft to fly through the dark hours of the night with stored solar energy but that's a far cry from a full airbus.
One of the biggest criticisms levelled at solar powered planes is that they aren't able to generate enough energy to get a big passenger plane in the air. They are also not capable of reaching the speeds we're used to. Borschberg's plane weighed only 3500 pounds but it took a wingspan of 210 feet and 11 000 solar panels to keep it in the air. To further conserve energy it travelled at only 28 mph.
The next step for Borschberg and Solar Impulse is a trans-Atlantic flight and from there the only logical thing to do is circle the world. A round-the-world flight is scheduled for 2013. Despite these lofty ambitions, the Swiss team behind the Solar Impulse is under no illusions that solar energy will immediately replace jet fuel. Rather they see themselves as solar energy pioneers, mapping new technologies and proving new capabilities to promote solar power.
Military applications
Boeing intends putting SolarEagle to the test in 2014 but in the meantime they are putting the $89 million contract to good use developing the technology required to sustain such a long flight.
It may be a good few years before passenger planes have access to solar powered flight, but there is not doubt that with the right people working on it truly carbon neutral air travel is possible.
Borschberg made international headlines in July 2010 when he completed the first 24-hour solar powered flight. As remarkable a feat as this is, we're still a long way from long-distance commercial flights. What he proved is that it's possible for a small single-pilot aircraft to fly through the dark hours of the night with stored solar energy but that's a far cry from a full airbus.
One of the biggest criticisms levelled at solar powered planes is that they aren't able to generate enough energy to get a big passenger plane in the air. They are also not capable of reaching the speeds we're used to. Borschberg's plane weighed only 3500 pounds but it took a wingspan of 210 feet and 11 000 solar panels to keep it in the air. To further conserve energy it travelled at only 28 mph.
The next step for Borschberg and Solar Impulse is a trans-Atlantic flight and from there the only logical thing to do is circle the world. A round-the-world flight is scheduled for 2013. Despite these lofty ambitions, the Swiss team behind the Solar Impulse is under no illusions that solar energy will immediately replace jet fuel. Rather they see themselves as solar energy pioneers, mapping new technologies and proving new capabilities to promote solar power.
Military applications
When it comes to military applications Boeing and NASA lead the way. Boeing is working on a project called SolarEagle, which is an unmanned solar aircraft that will be able to fly in the stratosphere without having to land for five years. In essence SolarEagle will serve as a military satellite able to gather and transmit intelligence to teams on the ground.
Boeing intends putting SolarEagle to the test in 2014 but in the meantime they are putting the $89 million contract to good use developing the technology required to sustain such a long flight.
It may be a good few years before passenger planes have access to solar powered flight, but there is not doubt that with the right people working on it truly carbon neutral air travel is possible.
No comments:
Post a Comment