We've heard about solar cookers and solar-powered street lamps, but solar planes? What if we told you that while you were busy with your life’s routine, a solar powered set off on a mission to fly across the globe? Solar Impulse 2, a fully solar-powered airplane completed its 118-hour long journey from Japan to Oahu, Hawaii, piloted by Andre Borschburg on 3rd July, 2015, morning.
The solar plane's round-the-world journey began in Abu Dhabi, UAE in March. In this unique journey, Borschburg flew the plane in its several legs alternating with co-pilot Bertrand Piccard, who is to fly the next leg to reach Phoenix.
More On the Epic, Record Shattering Solar Powered Aircraft
The ultimate goal of the journey is to reach Abu Dhabi after crossing the Atlantic Ocean, a feat which would render Picard and Borschburg the first ever pilots to man a plane around the world that was solely powered by solar energy. Already Borschburg's leg from Japan to Oahu has set a world record for the longest nonstop solo flight in the shortest time. This leg was also the longest flight ever in terms of both distance and time for a solar plane.
What about Solar Cars?
For such planes maximization of daylight hours is absolutely crucial for the solar cells covering the plane's wings and fuselage to gather solar energy, which would be used to fly the plane during the night at the speed of a car. Speaking of cars, since solar planes are setting such world records and showcasing the power of clear technology, solar cars are a wonderful alternative to conventional fuel based cars for cutting down emissions into the environment.
Solar cars are powered by solar energy which is trapped and converted by photovoltaic cells. Since no organic fuel is used to run these cars, these are smokeless, low-maintenance, and also noiseless.
The solar cells used in these solar cars can convert up to 20% of the sunlight falling on them. Better solar cells cost more, thus upping the cost of a solar car. For example, a solar powered racing car can pick up a speed of 60 km/h, but only because it is covered entirely with these cells – any such car would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars! However, solar powered cars have a remarkable 90% efficiency as opposed to cars driven by fossil fuels which are about 15% efficient.
The Key Damp Clouds Troubling Solar Cars
It is a bit uncomfortable to drive one of these solar cars, since it heats up under the sun – and comforts of A/C have to be eliminated because of power requirements. No A/C! Wow, that is a big blow! These cars seem even more impractical when you think of how they are going to function in countries which do not get enough sunlight, or the winter.
Though it seems that we could have to wait a long time before we can buy a fully functional and comfortable family car that is solely solar-powered, participants of the World Solar Car Challenge are coming up with innovative solar cars. Recently a student team from Eindhoven University of Technology created a solar car, Stella, powered by 381 solar cells, which the creators claim can reach a speed of 125 km/h and discharge excess energy back into the grid, thus creating a circulating source of renewable energy.
But does it have A/C?