Solar Impulse shows we can run the world without consuming the earth

In ancient Greek mythology, Icarus was the son of Daedulus who dared to fly too close to the sun on wings of feather and wax made by his father in spite of Daedulus’ warning. The heat from the sun melted the wax and Icarus fell to his death. It is meant to be a cautionary tale – and underscores the power of the sun.

It is the same sun that is ultimately a source of lot of the energy we use on earth – from indirect, stored versions such as hydroelectric and fossil fuels like coal to new, clean forms like direct solar.

The Solar Impulse project to fly a plane around the world without consuming a drop of fossil fuel is nearing the end of the Pacific crossing – its biggest hurdle. While its mission is not over yet, the team has already demonstrated that renewables can provide reliable power both day and night, an important step towards clean energy future.

To get this far, the Solar Impulse team has had to overcome many of the same technological challenges that are facing humanity on our low-carbon transition. Its solutions to these challenges deserve our attention. 

One important lesson is that there is no silver bullet. Together with its technology and innovation partners, the Solar Impulse team had to drive advances in all fields: maximizing the power yield from solar cells, integrating renewable energy into the electricity system, using energy as efficiently as possible, and storing energy after the sun goes down to keep the plane aloft throughout the night.

At 633 kilograms, the batteries used to store energy accounted for more than a quarter of the aircraft’s all-up weight – so minimizing energy consumption and losses was just as important as maximizing generating power and storage capacity. Consequently, the plane’s solar cells and motors have record-beating energy efficiency.

Clearly, achieving a sustainable energy system requires action and progress across the entire value chain, from power generation, to transmission and distribution, all the way to the consumption site. 

Of all the actions that can and are being taken to limit carbon emissions and mitigate the effects of climate change, none holds out more promise than improving energy efficiency. For instance, simply fitting the electric motors on all pumps and fans with devices to regulate their speed would save 3,338 TWh (3.3 million GWh), roughly equivalent to the amount of electrical energy produced in the European Union in 2013.

Another lesson is the importance of managing energy loads. When power supplies depend on the weather it pays to adjust your consumption patterns in line with the amount of power that is available. In the Solar Impulse plane, this was primarily the job of the pilot, who had carefully to manage ascents and descents depending on the power supply, and to take advantage of wind direction and speed.

On the ground, we can manage energy loads by adjusting our consumption patterns, for instance by providing households with information about their consumption behavior and reducing energy prices at off-peak times; and by transporting power to where it is needed at any given time. 

A third lesson concerns the valuable contribution of digitalization. With every piece of equipment on the aircraft fitted with lightweight sensors and communication functionality, the ground crew at the mission control center in Monaco was able at all times to monitor performance and recommend actions to the pilot to optimise his route.

As renewable energy from large and small-scale installations makes power systems more complex, digital technologies will have to be deployed more widely to prevent disruption from intermittent supplies, manage multi-directional flows of electricity, and balance supply and demand.

Flying the flag for technological innovation

Last year, when a weary but exhilarated Andre Borschberg landed the Solar Impulse plane in Hawaii after nearly 118 hours in the air, one could not fail to be inspired by the determination, passion and technological achievements of the team which made this incredible achievement possible. On that leg of the journey alone, Borschberg set several important aviation records, including that of the longest non-stop solo flight without refueling.

As the Solar Impulse plane continues its round-the-world journey over the continental United States, and then across the Atlantic, on its way to its starting point in Abu Dhabi, it will carry with it a message that is crucial for the future of humanity and our planet: by pushing the boundaries of technology, and challenging conventional ideas of what is possible, we can run the world without consuming the earth.
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Dr Ulrich Spiesshofer is the president and chief executive officer of ABB Ltd, a $ 36 billion company specialising in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve performance while lowering environmental impact