Ten Years of Impact

 

Piloted by Swiss pioneers Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg, Solar Impulse 2 was never conceived to carry passengers. Its ambition was broader: to demonstrate, through action rather than words, the potential of readily available clean and efficient technologies, and to prove that ecological and sustainable innovation can enhance economic prosperity and human welfare. Pushing the boundaries of what was thought possible, the aircraft served as a flying laboratory for a simple but radical idea: if a plane could circle the globe on solar energy alone, there could be no credible argument against the viability of clean solutions and renewable energies.

 

This "proof by demonstration" approach set Solar Impulse apart from conventional advocacy. It did not call for future breakthroughs; it showcased present ones. It proved that the tools needed for a sustainable future were not a distant promise, but a present reality.

 

The 17-leg journey began in Abu Dhabi in March 2015, taking SI2 across Oman, India, Myanmar, China, Japan, the United States, Spain and Egypt, covering 43,041 km over 23 days of flight time. The aircraft, the result of 12 years of design and equipped with 17,248 solar cells and a wingspan exceeding that of a Boeing 747, flew at altitudes of up to 9,300 metres and speeds of 50 to 100 km/h, day and night, without a single drop of fuel.

 

The human dimension proved equally extraordinary. Both pilots alternated at the controls of a non-pressurised, unheated cockpit measuring just 3.8 m³, enduring external temperatures ranging from ?50°C to +45°C. Their resilience, combined with the ingenuity and technical mastery of the aircraft, wrote a new chapter in the history of aviation, setting multiple FAI World Records and achieving a series of world firsts - from the first solar-powered flight through the night and across oceans to the first circumnavigation of the globe powered solely by the sun.

 

For Bertrand Piccard, the landing in Abu Dhabi marked the beginning of a new mission. Less than four months after the completion of the flight, he created the Solar Impulse Foundation and launched the World Alliance for Efficient Solutions, also known as the Solar Impulse Foundation Ecosystem. The Foundation - a non-profit dedicated to identifying and certifying efficient and profitable cleantech solutions at scale - has labelled over 1,600 systems, products, processes and devices, each of which has been validated for both environmental benefit and economic viability, and actively advocates for their adoption by governments, industries and financiers worldwide.

 

"Twenty years ago, people didn't believe me when I said that the completion of the solar round-the-world flight would not be the end of the Solar Impulse project but only its beginning. Today, history has proven this vision was right. The success of our mission became the catalyst for much more: the creation of the Solar Impulse Foundation, which identifies profitable solutions to protect the environment; the launch of Climate Impulse, the first attempt to fly around the world using green hydrogen; and André Borschberg's co-founding of H55 to accelerate the electrification of aviation," said Bertrand Piccard, Initiator and President of the Solar Impulse Foundation.

 

"Solar Impulse proved that when we combine existing clean technologies, we can achieve what many believe impossible. But it also proved something equally important: innovation is never the work of a few individuals. Behind this mission stood engineers, aviation experts, communicators and partners. Every breakthrough creates an entire ecosystem of skills, expertise and new professions. Progress has always come from daring to challenge the status quo, cultivating the pioneering spirit, and transforming breakthrough technologies into practical solutions that improve our world. This is why the adventure continues!"

 

André Borschberg, for his part, channelled his experience into direct industrial action. As co-founder of H55, also labelled by the Solar Impulse Foundation, he is building the electric propulsion systems aimed at decarbonising short-haul aviation. Today, H55 stands as one of the leading technology providers in the fast-growing electric-aviation sector and is expanding the application of its technologies to the hybrid aviation, drone and defence markets, translating the lessons of Solar Impulse into commercially viable aircraft powertrains.

 

"Ten years on, I still remember with great emotion the completion of our flight around the world. Today, I continue that pioneering mission with the same passion and determination: advancing sustainable aviation through electric propulsion and commercially viable technologies. It is tremendously exciting — although, at times, frustrating — to see how slowly our industry adopts new solutions. But I have no doubt that this transformation will come. Aviation has always evolved through bold innovation, perseverance and collaboration. Looking back, I see Solar Impulse not as the culmination of an extraordinary adventure, but as the launch pad for a transformation that continues today through the engineers, entrepreneurs and companies turning bold ideas into everyday reality. I am excited that H55 is helping write that next chapter," said André Borschberg, CEO and Founder of H55.

 

Recognising the potential to explore the capabilities of this innovation further, in 2019 Solar Impulse 2 (SI2) was acquired by the Spanish-American company Skydweller Aero to support the development of an autonomous, solar-powered unmanned aircraft, and to use it as a test bed for developing medium-altitude drones intended to replace satellites for gathering telecommunications, meteorological and agricultural monitoring data.

 

During a recent test flight over the Gulf of Mexico, the aircraft flew through a vast area of bad weather, which prevented it from recharging its batteries. Running out of power, it lost altitude before making an emergency landing on the water.

 

Despite the loss of this technological gem, the historic achievement and legacy of Solar Impulse 2 remain intact. It paved the way for a new vision of clean aviation and demonstrated the transformative potential of cleantech innovation.

 

The legacy of Solar Impulse reaches well beyond aviation. Since 2016, the project has served as a catalyst for the adoption of clean technology across sectors. Dozens of companies, inspired by or directly derived from the ecosystem built around the Solar Impulse Foundation, have scaled innovations worldwide, further advancing the cause of sustainable solutions and energy efficiency.

 

Ten years after its final landing, Solar Impulse's greatest legacy may be the proof that one bold demonstration can reshape an entire conversation. The successful mission did not end the story; it was only the first chapter — and an invitation to everyone, from governments and industries to citizens, to carry the momentum forward toward a world that is clean, efficient and prosperous.

 

 

 

Climate Impulse is a revolutionary project led by Bertrand Piccard, pioneer of clean technologies and explorer, and Raphaël Dinelli, navigator and composite materials engineer. Its goal is to circumnavigate on zero emissions, non-stop around the globe in 2030 aboard a green hydrogen-powered aircraft. Through this unprecedented adventure, this standard-bearer for climate action aims to transform the aviation sector and beyond by offering innovative solutions in areas considered difficult to decarbonise. Heir to the Solar Impulse, Climate Impulse's vision is that of a clean and efficient world – where innovation is put at the service of sustainability, shaping an economy powered by clean energy and marked by optimised, resource-efficient practices. The project is supported by Syensqo, OCP, UM6P, Breitling and Orange.