20 April 2016 sees Solar Impulse 2 take off for the second leg of its Pacific crossing from Hawaii to Phoenix USA bringing the message of a new environmental paradigm.

Solar Impulse 2 is not the first solar airplane. That flew for 3 minutes at Lasham airfield, Hampshire in 1978. But it is the first to fly day and night, attempting a 35,000 km global circumnavigation, without any fuel, only using the energy stored in its batteries. Advances in technology have made it possible.

The challenge to take an airplane to such a high level of energy efficiency that it can fly continuously relying only on the sun required new thinking in propulsion, energy, structures and materials. Advances that can be applied to accelerate other projects aimed at environmentally sustainable progress.

Solar Impulse CEO, founder and pilot André Borschberg said, “Imagine energy reserves increasing during flight! To make this dream a reality, we had to make maximum use of every single watt supplied by the sun, and store it in our batteries. We tracked down every possible source of energy efficiency.”

With the wing span of a Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet, the weight of a family car and the power of a small motorcycle, it is the largest aircraft ever built with such a low weight.

This dedication to excellence saw Solar Impulse 2 take on the challenge of the first round-the-world solar flight. To reach Hawaii this revolutionary airplane had do what no one has ever done before: fly through 5 consecutive days and nights using solar and battery power alone. The ocean crossing was performed by André Borschberg during his record-breaking flight from Nagoya to Hawaii.

Solar Impulse 2 was not built to carry passengers, but to bring messages. It was developed to demonstrate the importance of innovation and encourage people to question what they’ve always taken for granted. UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon called Solar Impulse 2 “A giant step forward, sending a strong message to people around the world.” The world needs to find new ways of improving the quality of life and reduce carbon dependancy. Clean technologies and renewable forms of energy are part of the solution.

Solar Impulse’s 80 engineers and technicians, under André Borschberg’s leadership, had to apply highly innovative solutions. What major civil and military aircraft makers thought impossible has been achieved by the ingenuity of a small team.

I am very proud to say that the Solar Impulse 2 project founders chose our technologies to evolve, design and develop their plane, “Because we had to be successful with the first attempt and we believe they are simply the best technologies on the market.” André Borschberg said.

The Solar Impulse 2 team deployed Industry Solution Experiences to design, and test the aircraft in a digital environment. “Dassault Systèmes 3D technologies were essential to the project. It would have been impossible to build the aircraft without them.” said Bertrand Piccard Solar Impulse President, Initiator and Pilot.

Bertrand and André are proving that protecting the environment can be an exciting adventure. With new clean technologies we can protect our planet and improve quality of life. Solar Impulse 2 is convincing people that with original thinking, advanced technology and renewable energies we can build a brighter more sustainable future.

Solar Impulse 2 started with a dream: that clean technologies and a pioneering spirit can change the world. I find it inspiring that today this grand vision has become a successful reality and is completing a brave circumnavigation of the very world that it hopes to change.

We will join Farnborough International Airshow 11-17 July.