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Solar power works! Here are some example to show that sunlight can make airplanes fly, cars move across continents, boats sail in Switzerland and Australia, and houses generate their own electricity needs. Renewable energy is a reality and all it needs is the political will to save mankind and the planet.

New EU regulations call for 22% of renewable energy production by 2010. New efficient powerplants will be built and new technology developed.

The examples listed below are just a small sampling of what has been done so far.

SOLAR POWERED AIRCRAFT REACHES 96,863ft

The Aerovironment produced HELIOS aircraft set a new altitude record on the 13th of August 2001, above the island of Hawaii. The 74 metre span aircraft took off after a 200m run. This record shatters the previous 80,201ft maximum altitude reached by a solar powered aircraft. The flight was described as “uneventful”. Total flight time was 16 hours and 54 minutes. By comparison, an ordinary jet airliner flies below 40,000 ft.

BOEING ENERGY TO BUILD 15 to 100MW PLANTS

The Boeing Corp has developped a technology called Solar Power Tower, where mirrors concentrate the sun’s energy into a receiver on top of a tower.

This receiver heats up molten nitrate salt by several hundred degrees. The molten salt is collected into tanks and used to produce steam to power electricity generating turbines. The great advantage of using molten salt is the ability to store heat and continue producing electricity when the sun is away.

The Kw cost is expected to be only slightly higher than coal’s.

The Serre PV plant, near Naples in Italy, is currently the largest in the EU. It features over 60,000 PV modules delivering over 3.3 MegaWatts to the grid. The experimental plant has an effici9ency rating of 10 to 12% and covers 5.5 hectares.

SOLAR POWERED FERRIES IN SWITZERLAND

MW LINE builds a range of solar powered small passenger ferries in Switzerland. These vessels carry passengers on a commercial basis while complying with stringent environmental regulations on local lakes.

BREITLING ORBITER 3 FLIES AROUND THE WORLD

Further to a large number of attempts, Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones were the first to fly around the world non-stop in a balloon in March 1999. While the balloon was simply drifting with carefully selected winds of the relevant direction, power for the systems and communication equipment was supplied by PV panels. They covered 42,810km in 19 days 1 hour.

100,000 SOLAR ROOFS IN GERMANY

A sight of things to come, a program launched by the German Government to develop the use of PV on site generation coupled with grid connection.

There is a great potential for these in the European Union as well as worldwide.

ENVIROMISSION SOLAR TOWER

A tower that could become the world’s tallest building, This power plant is expected to reach 200MW. The principle is to heat up air under glass located around the tower and then let the hot air rush through the tower, creating a wind effect similar to the one of a cumulo nimbus cloud. The first unit is to be built in Australia.

HONDA CREATES HYBRID CAR

The INSIGHT is not a solar powered vehicle but we think it should be featured here. The car is powered by a hybrid system featuring a 3 cylinder 1litre V-tech petrol engine and an electric motor. The aluminium construction ensures optimal weight. Maximum range is nearly 1000km on one tank of petrol. An advanced NI-Mh battery provides power while the V-tech engine is off.

Produced by the DAIMLER CHRYSLER CORP. the GEM is an efficient electric vehicle available in different configurations. Versions include a 2 seater, a 4 seater and utility variants.

INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION

Nice to see that the most expensive vehicle ever built relies on solar power.

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