| In a world almost entirely reliant on fossil or other | | | | the Breitling sponsored balloon Breitling Orbiter 3, and |
| non-replaceable fuels (such as uranium), the idea of | | | | the man who initiated the project,) and Andre |
| finding a replacement source of energy can be hard to | | | | Borschberg, the Solar Impulse HB-SIA will have made |
| fathom on such a scale. Solar panels and wind turbines | | | | its first test flights by the end of the year, with an |
| can produce electricity, yes, but they can't effectively | | | | all-night flight over Switzerland planned for 2010. A |
| power a car or a plane, can they? | | | | second aircraft, the HB-SIB, will be built to make the |
| That assumption is about to change. With the unveiling | | | | 2012 flight around the world in five stages, each of |
| of the Solar Impulse, an aeroplane powered entirely by | | | | which will last several days. |
| solar energy, the limit of solar power's usefulness has | | | | This is the culmination of six years of work for the |
| been challenged - particularly the world's assumptions | | | | team, a triumph of science, technology and the |
| about its basic fundamentals. | | | | imagination and passion to keep going. And therefore it |
| The main limitation that solar power has always faced | | | | is only natural that esteemed watch manufacturer |
| is the fact that solar panels can only work while the | | | | Omega should have been one of the sponsors for the |
| sun is in the sky. This means that during the day, the | | | | project; it is a work of equal dedication to the intricate |
| energy must be stored in batteries; all very well if | | | | design work of a finely-tuned watch movement. The |
| you're only using the power to turn the lights on at | | | | watch industry is also notable for many environmental |
| night, but not very useful if you need to, say, fly a plane | | | | interests from manufacturers across its spectrum, with |
| day and night. | | | | many becoming carbon neutral and supporting |
| Despite that, this is exactly what the Solar Impulse | | | | initiatives across the world. |
| plans to do in its attempt to be the first solar-powered | | | | Omega's pioneering spirit also fits the theme of the |
| aircraft to fly around the world. And its amazing design | | | | Solar Impulse's mission, and Stephen Urquhart, |
| - a wingspan the size of a Boeing 747, and the weight | | | | Omega's President, said he hoped Omega would |
| of an average family car, means that it can continue to | | | | continue to work towards developments in sustainable |
| store ample energy to keep it aloft during the night, | | | | energy. For an industry whose most prestigious and |
| even while it flies through the day. | | | | luxurious products can be powered simply by the |
| Unveiled in June 2009 by Bertrand Piccard (one of the | | | | swinging of the wearer's arm as he goes about his |
| two men who first flew non-stop around the world in | | | | business, this is not an impossible dream. |