Solar
Impulse 2, the world’s first solar plane that intends to travel
around the world, flew for 17,826km and was in the air for 254 hours
and 57 minutes as of July 15. The plane first took off from Abu
Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates on Mar. 9. Its goal is to promote
the importance of renewable energy.
The plane is equipped with four lithium-ion batteries and solar
panels on its 72m-long wings. The panels generate electricity from
sunlight during the day, and the batteries store surplus energy.
The plane gets power from the batteries to fly at night.
Solar Impulse 2 recently left Nagoya, Japan, which was its eighth
stop. It flew about 7,200km for nearly 120 hours without stopping
until it landed safely in Honolulu, Hawaii on July 3. This flight
broke the previous world record of 76 hours and 45 minutes. Its
biggest challenge: Solar Impulse 2 flew above the Pacific Ocean,
where it was impossible to make emergency landings. Now, the plane
is grounded for about one month for maintenance.
Renewable energy is beneficial both to the environment and humans’
health. Solar Impulse 2 may become the cornerstone to utilize natural,
renewable energy sources, such as sunlight or wind. People around
the world are looking forward to the wider application of renewable
energy.