ABB supports solar-powered aeroplane

Power and automation company ABB has announced that it will support Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg in their attempt to fly around the world in a solar-powered aeroplane.

Solar Impulse is said to be the only aeroplane of perpetual endurance, able to fly day and night on solar power without a drop of fuel. Piccard and Borschberg have already accomplished flights through the night and across Europe, the Mediterranean Sea and the United States in their prototype aircraft, and now they are preparing to circumnavigate the globe.

Andre Borschberg and Bertrand Piccard.

“This partnership brings together two Swiss-based global leaders that are passionate about pushing the boundaries of technology and innovation to achieve a better world,” said ABB CEO Ulrich Spiesshofer. “We believe in Bertrand’s vision, and we are convinced that by pioneering innovative technologies we will be able to decouple economic growth from energy consumption and environmental impact.”

“It was my dream to have ABB as technology partner of Solar Impulse,” said Piccard, initiator and chairman of Solar Impulse. “We have the same goal of improving the world by using energy more efficiently and conserving natural resources.”

“Solar Impulse and ABB are technology innovators and pioneers,” said Borschberg, co-founder and CEO of Solar Impulse. “We both want to motivate people to use clean technologies; ABB and Solar Impulse will work together on key technologies like power electronics for our mutual benefit.”

The round-the-world aircraft ‘Solar Impulse 2’ was unveiled earlier this week. Flight testing is planned for spring 2014 and the round-the-world flight for between April and July 2015.