The solar plane that set out to travel around the world has done it, and its return to where it began in the United Arab Emirates marks another high-profile moment for the country’s clean energy efforts, said the Associated Press.
Solar Impulse2 began its flight in March and traveled around the world on solar power alone, stopping for rest, weather, and promotional opportunities. Built by Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg as a proof-of-concept, it could pave the way for more green technology in aerospace and elsewhere. It landed in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, marking the first round-the-world, day and night flight powered only by the sun.
The UAE may seem like an unlikely candidate for energy leadership, with its booming oil industry and Abu Dhabi’s rapid technological growth. Along with that growth comes major solar projects in Dubai: the city plans to generate a quarter of its power from renewables by 2030. Companies are also working on large-scale rooftop solar panels at the Dubai seaport, and Abu Dhabi may soon become home to the world’s biggest solar park.
The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is expected to produce 5,000 megawatts by 2030.
Masdar, a government-backed energy company, was one of the sponsors of the Solar Impulse 2. They’re also working on Masdar City, an experimental clean-energy showcase located near Abu Dhabi’s largest airport. Originally envisioned as a completely self-sufficient “city of the future,” it has been scaled back during the building process. The urban core, designed using traditional architectural techniques to keep cool, is home to the International Renewable Energy Agency.
Masdar sponsors clean-energy projects around the globe. Solar Impulse cost about $100 million to build and run. Its thin, wide wings carry 17,000 solar cells.
