May 19, 2016 | By RGR Marketing Blog

Solar Energy Just Keeps Getting Hotter

From homeowners to large corporations, it seems like just about everyone is interested in going solar. Solar energy’s value proposition has become undeniable. It’s environmentally beneficial, it can help your customers start saving money from the moment it’s installed, and as the prices of fossil fuels continue to rise, case for solar is just going to keep getting stronger.

But that doesn’t mean solar energy couldn’t use a bit of extra publicity. In fact, we can use all the press we can get. The faster planet earth moves away from fossil fuels, the better off we’ll all be.

Set the Controls for Absorbing the Sun

The latest high-profile solar headline maker is the Solar Impulse 2; a solar powered plane intended to circumnavigate the entire globe. Its wingspan is wider than a 747’s, and covered tip-to-tip in solar cells. At night, it relies on battery backup for power, because net metering doesn’t apply when you’re flying at 20,000 feet above the ocean.

Solar Impulse 2’s journey began back in March of 2015 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Since then, alternating pilots Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg have made pit stops in Oman, Myanmar, China, Japan, Hawaii, California, and most recently, Phoenix, Arizona, where eager spectators welcomed the plane to Goodyear Airport.

Around the World in a Year and Counting

If its travel itinerary seems a bit protracted, keep in mind that its average speed is a pedestrian 45 miles per hour – not the sort of plane you’d want to take if you were in a big hurry.

Also, the voyage has faced a couple of setbacks along the way. Last July, Solar Impulse 2 was waylaid when its battery system sustained heat damage during the China-to-Hawaii leg of its journey. It was diverted to Japan, where technicians made extensive repairs before sending it on its way.

Nine months later, it resumed its journey, successfully making its way to Hawaii, then on to Mountain View, then to Arizona’s state capital.

Not for Prime Time, but Hearts and Minds

So will solar planes find favor as the jet setter’s travel reservation of choice? Well, probably not any time soon. But this record-setting journey is about more than sustainable transportation.

In a statement, the team said, “By attempting the first solar flight around the world, pushing back the boundaries of the possible, going into the unknown, and taking on a project deemed impossible by industry experts, Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg want to support concrete actions for sustainability and show that the world can be run on clean technologies."

It’s an Exciting Time for Solar

Solar Impulse 2 is not fast, nor is it particularly practical, as means of circling the globe go. But it is undeniably inspiring. It’s a glimpse into the future. It’s a vessel in the mold of the Wright Brother’s Flyer or the Spirit of St. Louis. In short, it’s awesome in the truest sense of the word, and it’s 100% solar powered.

[Photo via: Wikimedia]

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