Power and automation technology group, ABB, recently announced its support for Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg in their attempt to fly around the world in a solar powered airplane in 2015.
The first-ever flight with a solar airplane, as well as record-breaking missions across Europe, the Mediterranean Sea, and the United States, brought worldwide attention to Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg with their Solar Impulse endeavor, demonstrating the enormous potential of clean technologies and showing how a pioneering spirit can achieve the impossible.
Now the Solar Impulse team is preparing for the ultimate technological challenge: to circumnavigate the globe in a solely solar powered plane. On April 9, the team will unveil a new airplane, which will be used to attempt the round-the-world flight in 2015.
“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,” says ABB CEO Ulrich Spiesshofer. “…[L]ike Solar Impulse, we are always challenging the boundaries of what is technologically possible.”
“It was my dream to have ABB as technology partner of Solar Impulse,” says Bertrand 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,” adds Andre 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.”
ABB
www.abb.com
Solar Impulse
www.solarimpulse.com
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