FollowThe first entirely solar-powered airplane, the Solar Impulse, has finished its first ever international flight — marking a significant leap for the future of sustainable transportation. Traveling from Payerne, Switzerland to Brussels, Belgium, the flight lasted 12 hours and 59 minutes powered entirely by 12,000 solar cells and made it safely to its final destination with pilot André Borschberg at the controls.
“The objective is to demonstrate what we can do with existing technology in terms of renewable energy and energy savings,” Borschberg told Reuters. What makes this flight so revolutionary is the fact that the airplane was flown overnight, affirming that its feasible to store and use solar power even if the sun isn’t available. “This airplane, the first to function without fossil fuel and without emitting CO2, symbolizes the great efforts the aeronautical industry is making to develop new technologies for energy saving and increased use of renewable energies. Given Brussels Airport’s own ambition to continue reducing our CO2 emissions, we attach particular importance to solar energy generation projects. Therefore, we are delighted that Solar Impulse selected Brussels Airport as its first international destination,” said Arnaud Feist, CEO of Brussels Airport Company.
