Solar Impulse 2 can fly continuously for 5 days

What is Solar Impulse 2?

Solar Impulse 2 is the name of the Swiss long-range experimental solar powered aircraft project as well as of the operational aircraft, which is set achieve the first roundthe-world solar powered trip.The aircraft is capable of flying five consecutive days without any fuel. It started its journey to circumnavigate the globe this month from Abu Dhabi and is scheduled to return there in August, 2015. The more than 17,000 solar cells in the aircraft work with the four motorcycle type engines and power the aircraft to fly at speeds of 36 kmph to 140 kmph.

The increase is primarily linked to growing tourism, urbanisation and immigration, which requires faster and more efficient links between cities. All this will mean higher consumption of non-renew

Why is it an important scientific breakthrough?

From 331.6 million passengers in 1971, air traffic has gone up to almost 3 billion T able aviation fuel and hence Solar Impulse 2, although experimental, is a major breakthrough, as it is the first aircraft to come close to a perpetual flight powered by a renewable source of energy.

How much oil is consumed by the aviation industry?

According to the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries' (OPEC's) world oil outlook 2014, the demand of the aviation sector in 2011 was 5.1 million barrels of oil equivalent (MBOE). The aviation sector accounts for about 6% of total oil consumption. In 2010, petrol accounted for 26% while diesel constituted 29% of total global oil consumption.According to the International Energy Agency , in 2006, avia tion represented 11% of all transport energy use, which will increase to 19% by 2050. Various studies show the demand of avia tion fuel is not only increas ing the operational cost (by increasing fuel costs) but is also having a negative impact on the environment.

How is the aviation industry harming the environment?

According to the European Commission, the executive body of the European Union, aviation is the fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions.It is estimated that a person's return flight from London to New York has the same level of emissions as the average EU person heating their home for a year. A 2012 World Bank report on air transport and energy efficiency says that the aviation industry contributes to about 2% of overall global carbon dioxide emissions.The OECD also forecasts that carbon dioxide emissions from air transport, which was about 12% of all transport emissions, might go to 23% by 2050 if no measures are taken. Considering the dependence on fossil fuel as well as the emissions, the success of Solar Impulse-2 project might be the first step towards a clean, renewable and commercially viable aviation technology .