11,628

11,628 – that’s how many ultra-thin photovoltaic cells cover the Solar Impulse, a 100% solar-powered aeroplane. 

 

11,628 ultra-thin photovoltaic cells cover the wings and the cockpit of the Solar Impulse, a 100% solar-powered aeroplane. The aim of this project, which started in 2003, is to fly an aeroplane both day and night without using any fuel or emitting any pollution during the entire flight. The two pilots, Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg, will be flying around the world on their enormous environmentally-friendly albatross in 2015 in five stages.

This incredible human adventure has attracted a number of enthusiastic sponsors, including Google, Omega and Dassault Aviation. The Solar Impulse really is an outstanding piece of design in the way that it constantly seeks to achieve the perfect balance between weight, energy efficiency and performance – the very criteria that might one day allow us to build a huge power line that works using solar energy.

to see the actual article that I just copies and pasted here:  http://pulse.edf.com/en/11628/?utm_source=OutbrainInter&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Trafic