(Photo from Solar Impulse official website )
“The sun is the power; under this slogan this event will take us to the world of renewable energy in the aviation sector. All mankind need more sustainable clean energy in every domain in life,” commercial Attaché at the Embassy of Switzerland Madiha Nasr said, introducing the Solar Impulse II aeroplane.
The embassy of Switzerland, Swiss companies Schindler and ABB, along with the Swiss-Egyptian Business Association (SEBA) held a conference in Cairo, where they presented the details of the zero-fuel aeroplane, the “Solar Impulse II”.
The aeroplane, which is entirely powered by solar energy, took 12 years of research and can now fly day and night. It started its 35,000 km journey from Abu Dhabi in March, its first ever flight around the world. It is expected to land back in Abu Dhabi in late July or August.
To date, it is still unclear when exactly the aeroplane will fly over Egypt, as climate changes might interrupt the path and timeframe of the journey, Ambassador of Switzerland to Egypt Markus Leitner told Daily News Egypt.
“Solar impulse II is a telling example of Swiss innovation. It is a revolution both in the use of clean technology and aviation,” said the ambassador. He added that it is also an example of protecting the environment, as a commitment for more sustainable future.
As for the roles of other entities in the project; Schindler, the leading elevator and escalator manufacturer, sent some of its engineers, who cooperated with the Solar Impulse team in information exchange due to their high expertise in the building of solar-powered elevators.
Meanwhile, ABB, the leading automation and power organisation, have aided the Solar Impulse team by “improving power yields from the solar cells and the charging electronics for the plane’s battery system”.
“We are very excited to be partners with Solar Impulse. Schindler has always been standing for clean sustainable energy. Solar Impulse was built to carry a message that the world needs to elevate the quality of mankind’s life,” said Wassim Abou Shaar, Middle East Executive Managing Director at Schindler.
“Schindler developed its latest technology; an elevator that can be powered exclusively by solar energy, and we already have successful customer installations running in Europe, with positive feedback,” Abou Shaar said.
The Solar Impulse is an outstanding project that marks an innovation in the field of civil aviation, said Hany El-Adawy, Vice Chairman of the Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority.
“Despite the challenges facing civil aviation, we have a vision for the future, which is to use clean energy, and bio-fuel technology, in line with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and International Air Transport Association (IATA) initiatives,” El-Adawy noted.
