PARTNERS’ DEVELOPMENTS LEGACY

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PARTNERS’ DEVELOPMENTSLEGACY By bringing companies together to work on a common enterprise, Solar Impulse highlighted the beneficial impact of team-work in overcoming hurdles in order to find innovative solutions.

Solar Impulse’s attempt to fly around the world powered only by solar energy set a goal many thought “impossible” and placed the bar very high. A family group of partners took up the challenge to invent new paradigms and find the answers to problems that until now had remained unsolvable. They combined their very diverse backgrounds and specialist talents to build bridges between various areas of expertise and push back the frontiers of technological knowledge.

These inventive, energy-efficient solutions are emerging today from research centers to arrive in our daily lives. They are already used in electricity networks, house insulation, food conservation, and vehicles, as well as industrial processes.

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ENERGY STORAGE

Microgrid installations ABB

SHARED EXPERIENCE WITH SOLAR IMPULSE Tobeabletoflydayandnight,SolarImpulsereliesonbatteriesthatstore

theenergycollectedduringthedayanduseittopoweritsenginesduringthenight.Thesamerequirementexistsforintroducingrenewableenergyintofossil-fuelbasedpower-generationsystems.Batteriesareneededtoevenouttheproductionprofilei.e.totemporarilytostoretheexcesselectricityproducedanddischargeittopreventpoweroutagesanddamagetothenetwork.

APPLICATION ON THE GROUND Microgrid installations are commercialised by ABBtoupgradeexistingdiesel-

basedoff-gridsystemswithrenewableenergiesinremotecommunitiesthatoftenrelysolelyonimportedfuels(whicharebothexpensiveandpolluting).Thesesystemsensureacleanandstableelectricitysupplytopopulations.

Positive impactTheintegrationofrenewableswithmicrogridinstallationscanreplacebetween40and240GWofpowercapacityoriginallyproducedwithdiesel.Insomecases,400,000litresoffuelcanbesparedannually,therebyavoiding1,100tonsofCO2emissions.

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Special binder for batteries Solvay

ENERGY STORAGE

CHALLENGES OVERCOME WITH SOLAR IMPULSE Importantchallengeshadtobeovercometobuildasufficientandreliable

batterystoragesystemforSolarImpulse–asystemtheplanecouldrelyonforpowerduringthenightuntilthesunrises:maximizationofthebatteries’lightness,energydensityanddurability.

SOLUTION DEVELOPED FOR SOLAR IMPULSE The Solef PVDF binder developed by Solvaywasusedtoofferoptimalbinding

forSolarImpulse’sbatteries’electrodes.Ithelpstoreducetheirweighttoaminimumwhileimprovingthechemicalstabilityoftheircells;i.e.itincreasesthenumberofchargeanddischargecyclesthebatterycanwithstandandtherebyincreasesitslifetime.

APPLICATION ON THE GROUND Electric cars Thistechnologycanbeappliedtoupgradeelectriccars’batteries. Grid storage systems Itcanalsobeappliedforgridelectricitystorage.

Positive impactElectric carsThisbindercouldimprovetherangeofastandardelectriccarby10km,andprovidedtheothermaterialsdonotdowngrade,couldincreasetheirbatteries’lifetimeby20%.

Grid storage systems TheuseofthisspecialbinderinbatteriesforgridelectricitystoragewouldallowstabilizationofdistributionnetworksinregionswithahighintermittentPVpowerconcentration.

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MOTORS’ EFFICIENCY

Additive to upgrade motors’ lubricant Solvay

CHALLENGES OVERCOME WITH SOLAR IMPULSE Inordertomakemaximumuseoftheenergycollectedthroughthesolar

cells,theefficiencyanddurabilityofthesolarairplane’smotorshadtobeoptimized.

SOLUTION DEVELOPED WITH SOLAR IMPULSE The Fomblin PFPE lubricant additive developed by Solvayenhancesthe

anti-wearandanti-rustpropertiesoflubricantsusedinSolarImpulse’selectricmotors.Thistechnologyincreasesthelubricant’soperatinglife,therebyreducingtheneedformaintenanceofrotorsandstatorsintheplane’sengines.

APPLICATIONS ON THE GROUND All engines Thisadditivecanbeappliedtoupgradethelubricantsofanyengine.

Positive impactItcandecreasemechanicallossesby50%inmotors,tripleacar’senginefuelefficiency–decreasingbynearly70%theannualfuelcostofdrivingagasolinecar.

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MOTORS’ EFFICIENCY

Smart sensors to increase motors’ efficiency ABB

Machine room-less elevators with gearless motors SCHINLDER

SHARED EXPERIENCE WITH SOLAR IMPULSE Thankstothesensorsthatcollectinformationontheplane’ssystems(speed,

batterychargelevel,bankangle),SolarImpulse’sengineerscananalysehundredsofdatabeforeandduringtheflightstoallowoptimalfunctioningandensureendurancethroughthenights.Thesameapproachcanbefollowedforoptimizingtheefficiencyofindustrialelectricmotors.

APPLICATION ON THE GROUND The smart sensor technologies developed by ABBenableindustrialmotors

toprovideconditionsandperformancedatathatcanbeanalysedtooptimizetheirenergyuseandincreaseindustrialefficiency,inotherwordsboostproductivityandreducecostssignificantly.

Positive impactElectricmotorenergyefficiencycouldincreaseby10%andit’sbeenworkedoutthatifallindustrialelectricmotorsusedsuchsensorstocollectinformation,616billionkWhofelectricitycouldbesavedeveryyear.

SHARED EXPERIENCE WITH SOLAR IMPULSE InSolarImpulse,theelectricityproducedbythesolarcellshastobeused asefficientlyaspossibletodriveelectromagnetsontheplane’smotors. Thesemotorshadtomeetstringentrequirementsoflightnessandefficiency tominimizelosses.Thesamerequirementsapplyforelevators’motors.

APPLICATION ON THE GROUND The machine room-less elevators commercialised by Schindler carry highefficiencyACgearlesspermanentmagnetsmotorstoliftpeopleto theirdestinations.

Positive impactThistechnologyallowselevatorstobe60%moreenergyefficientcomparedtohydraulicsystems.Also,itneedsfewermovingpartsandisquieter,thereforeincreasingreliabilityandcomfort.

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SMART ENERGY USE

Regenerative drives for elevators Schindler

SHARED EXPERIENCE WITH SOLAR IMPULSE InSolarImpulse,everysystemwasengineeredtooptimizeenergyuse andpassitonwhenandwhereitismostneeded,offeringflexibilityincase ofemergencysituations.Forinstance,ifonemotorfails,thepowercan beredistributedamongsttheremainingenginessothattheplanekeeps inbalanceandremainsintheair.Thesamemindsetcanbeappliedfor

sustainabletransportation.

APPLICATION ON THE GROUND The innovative Regenerative Drives technology developed by Schindler allowssurplusenergytobesentbackfromtheelevatortothebuilding’s powergridallowingotherbuildingconsumerstomakeuseofthisnot neededenergy.

Positive impactThistechnologyreducesnetpowerusageandutilitybills(between30and55%reductioninannualpowercosts).Additionally,becauseheatgenerationcanbecutbyupto50%,lesscoolingisrequiredintheelevatormachineroom.

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SMART ENERGY USE

Two-speed and Auto Start/Stop technologies for escalators Schindler

Destination-dispatch system for elevators Schindler

SHARED EXPERIENCE WITH SOLAR IMPULSE Duringthenight,thesolarairplaneadoptsadescendingprofiletominimise

itsenergyconsumptionbygliding.Thiswayenergyissavedattherelevanttimeandtheplanecanrelyonbatteriestomakeitthroughthenight.Thisapproachcanbefollowedtosaveenergyinescalatorsduringoff-peakhours.

APPLICATION ON THE GROUND The variable-speed escalator technologies developed by Schindler have

anautostart/stopmodeandatwo-speedcontrolsystemthatallowsavingenergyduringoff-peakhoursbyreducingthespeedorstoppingtheelevatorwhennooneisusingit.

Positive impactInatypicalofficebuilding,theautostart/stoptechnologyenablesanenergyusereductionofupto52%.Inturn,thetwo-speedcontrolsystemoffersanaverageenergysavingof14%.

SHARED EXPERIENCE WITH SOLAR IMPULSE Beforeaflight,SolarImpulseengineersperformsimulationstofindthebest

-i.e.themostenergy-efficient-routefortheairplanetofollow.Thatprocesscanalsobedoneforelevatorstodeterminethemostenergy-efficientwayofbringingpeopletotherequestedfloor.

APPLICATION ON THE GROUND The destination-dispatching system PORT (Personal Occupant Requirement

Terminal) developed by Schindlercanfindthe1in7trillionridethatis“right”foreachuserofbuildingelevators.

Positive impactThistechnologycanimprovetrafficflow,reducewaittimeandthenumberofintermediatestops,tomaketheelevatorrunatthepinnacleofitsperformance.

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INNOVATIVE MATERIALS

Composites to reduce the structure weight Solvay

CHALLENGES OVERCOME WITH SOLAR IMPULSE Theuseoflowweightunidirectionalandfabriccompositesallowstheflexibility

todesignandmanufactureverylightweightcomponentswhichisakeybenefittotheSolarImpulseproject.

SOLUTION DEVELOPED WITH SOLAR IMPULSE The composite materials developed by Solvay, have been used to build the

Solar Impulse structure. • Astructuraloutofautoclaveprepregisusedtomanufacturethelargewing

sparhoneycombsandwichstructureandothercompositeparts. • Alowtemperatureoutofautoclavetoolingprepregisusedtomanufacture thelargecompositemouldtoolsneededtoformthewingcompositeskins onSolarImpulse.

APPLICATION ON THE GROUND Aerospace & automotive industries Theaerospaceindustryiscurrentlythebiggestuserofthesecomposites, whiletheautomotiveindustryismassivelyincreasingitslightweightingefforts.

AlreadyusedinFormula1andluxurycars,compositesshouldfindtheirwayintootherautomotivesegmentsinthenearfuture.

Others Thesecompositesareparticularlysuitedtothemarineandindustrialmarkets

(e.g.marinehulls,windturbinebladeandspars,traindoors,bulletproofvest,sportinggoods,etc)

Positive impactAerospace & automotive industriesThesecompositesreducetheweightandincreasethefuelefficiencywithoutcompromisingstructuralstrengthorsafety.

OthersCompositesarestrongyetflexible,offeradditionalpropertiessuchascorrosionresistanceorballisticpropertiesandenablethemanufactureofcomplexpartsforapplicationswherelightweightingisamust.

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INNOVATIVE MATERIALS

Polycarbonate window with glass-like appearance Covestro

Polyurethane foam insulation Covestro

CHALLENGES OVERCOME WITH SOLAR IMPULSE ThecockpitwindowofSolarImpulsehadtobeverylightandresistant

toextremeconditionswhileofferingoptimaltransparencyproperties.

SOLUTION DEVELOPED FOR SOLAR IMPULSE The Transparent polycarbonate sheeting developed by Covestrohas

mechanicalpropertiessuperiortothatofglass,aglass-likeappearance,andimprovedsafetyfunctionssuchasanti-foggingpropertiesthankstoaspecialcoating.

APPLICATION ON THE GROUND Car windows Theautomotiveindustryisseekingcarwindowsthatarelighteryetmore

resistant. Solar dryers Theoutstandingpropertiesofthissheetingarebeingputtogoodusein

solardryersforthefruitandvegetablecropsofsmallholderfarmersinSouth-EastAsia.

Positive impactCar windowsThesignificantlyreducedweightofwindowscouldallowmorebatteriestobeinstalledinelectriccars.

Solar dryersThistechnologycanhelpavoidfoodwastageandcreateseconomicbenefitsforunder-servedcommunities.

CHALLENGES OVERCOME WITH SOLAR IMPULSE InsulationintheSolarImpulsecockpitandgondolashadtomeetthechallenges

oflightness,resistanceandefficiencytoprotectthepilotandtheplane’sbatteriesfromextremeconditionsduringflight,giventheabsenceofaheatingsystemonboard.

SOLUTION DEVELOPED FOR SOLAR IMPULSE The polyurethane foam developed by Covestrohas40%smallerporesand

offersahigherrigidityandstructuralstrengthwhileremaininglightweight.

APPLICATION ON THE GROUND Home insulation Thismaterialcanbeusedinprefabricatedpanelstobuildaffordablehomes. Food storage Itcanalsobeappliedforcheapfoodstoragesolutionsinunder-servedmarkets.

Positive impactHome insulationThistechnologycouldsavecloseto20%onyearlyenergybillscomparedtostandardinsulationsolutions.

Food storageThissolutionhasapositivesocialandenvironmentalimpactindevelopingcountrieswherefoodisscarceandfoodconservationisamajorproblem.