Solar Impulse looks beyond Europe's skies

 

SOLAR Impulse, Europe's long-range solar-powered plane project which could change the landscape of aviation industry, needs another ?25 million (?1 = RM4.91).

It is not seeking any government funding but corporate and individual contributions to raise the ?70 million it needs to complete for the whole project.

"We've raised ?45 million with just a power point presentation. Now that we have an airplane, it should be much easier," said project initiator and president Bertrand Piccard.

The single-seater Solar Impulse HB-SIA, the first airplane designed to fly day and night without fuel, left the ground for the first time on December 3 2009.

Piccard said Solar Impulse would want to have partners from other regions because its current partners are mainlyfrom Europe.

"We would love to have partners from other parts of the world, such as Sony and Panasonic from Japan and firms like China's Suntech Holdings," he said during a recent media visit to the project in Dubendorf Airfield, Switzerland.

Suntech produces solar products like photovoltaic modules.

Piccard said the project was being managed very stringently and from day one, they knew that it needed just ?70 million.

Having raised ?45 million from its present supporters such as Geneva-based private asset management firm Semper, Belgian industrial group Solvay, Altran, Omega, Deutsche Bank, SolarMax, Victorinox and Toyota Switzerland, another ?25 million would be enough to produce a second plane codenamed HB-SIB, he said.

In November 2007 - after four years of research, calculation and simulations- Piccard, together with engineer and fighter pilot Andre Borschberg, presented the final design of the first prototype with a wingspan of 63 metres and a weight of 1,600kg - the HB-SIA.

In April 2008, the European Commission assured Piccard and Borschberg of its endorsement, thereby recognising the impact and action of Solar Impulse in support of renewable energy.

Thereafter, there was no turning back with other organisations and firms joining the project, providing concrete collaboration or wishing to demonstrate their values and actions in favour of the environment.

The International Air Transport Association has become an institutional partner of Solar Impulse, providing logistics support - a critical component of round-the-world flights.

Piccard said there was a lot of interest from individuals, and therefore Solar Impulse launched the "Supporters Programme" simultaneously with the presentation of HB-SIA prototype.

The programme offers supporters the chance to acquire one of the 10,748 solar cells on the wings, visit the solar airplane base or even place their names on the fuselage. - Bernama