Solar Impulse Blog

Two pioneers flying around the world with a solar airplane to promote clean technologies #futureisclean Visit our official website www.solarimpulse.com

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COP23: What’s the Solar Impulse Foundation doing here?

Every year, international actors, including delegates representing countries, companies, start-ups, activists, journalists, and investors, come together for the UN Climate Change Conference - or Conference of the Parties (COP).

This year’s 23rd edition of the global meeting - located in Bonn, Germany - is hosted by an island nation that is currently challenged by rising sea levels: Fiji. While Bertrand Piccard has participated in many COPs over the past years, the Solar Impulse team has attended the two previous conferences and this year the Solar Impulse Foundation will be present to launch The World Alliance for Efficient Solutions! 

The Solar Impulse Foundation team has been there since day one to launch the World Alliance for Efficient Solutions with a Constituent Assembly occurring on Tuesday, November 14th at 6PM. Our founding members, key actors in the field of clean technology, will take part in the first Constituent Assembly and witness the countdown to select #1000solutions that are profitable and protect the environment before COP24.

Stay tuned for November 14th to hear more about the World Alliance’s first Constituent Assembly and the upcoming #1000solutions challenge.

In case you missed it, here is a brief history of Solar Impulse’s presence at the past COP meetings:

COP21: Setting the 2°C Objective

While negotiators were sitting at the table in Paris constructing the Paris Agreement, Bertrand Piccard published his 7 principles to Solve Climate Change with Clean Technology at the request of President Hollande. These principles remain at the heart of the Solar Impulse Foundation’s mission - to find profitable solutions that protect the environment.

The Paris Agreement was subsequently signed on April 22nd, 2016 (Earth Day) by 174 countries in New York. During the ground-breaking ceremony, Bertrand Piccard spoke to the former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon while flying across to the Pacific Ocean in his solar-powered airplane (watch it here!). Behind the Secretary General was a room filled with over 500 World Leaders.

COP22: The Solar Impulse Foundation announced its intention to create the World Alliance for Efficient Solutions

The Government of Morocco hosted the COP22 in Marrakesh, pulling Moroccan efficient solutions onto the global stage. During the conference, Bertrand Piccard and the Solar Impulse Foundation announced its intention to start The World Alliance for Efficient Solutions. The World Alliance will work to federate, appraise, and empower profitable solutions that protect the environment.

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Partnering with ADEME to bring French solutions to the world

The French Environment and Energy Management Agency - ADEME - will partner with the World Alliance for Efficient Solutions to identify promising French solutions that can help companies, cities and regions around the world to move toward a sustainable economic model.

(from L to R) Bruno Léchevin, President of ADEME, Nicolas Hulot, Minister of Ecological and Solidarity Transition, Bertrand Piccard, Chairman of the Solar Impulse Foundation

They are a fantastic partner for the World Alliance; they are at the heart of deploying solutions in support of France’s landmark law on energy transition for green growth that shares our own perspective that sustainability is an opportunity to develop new industries, create jobs and more prosperity.

ADEME, a public agency under the French environment ministry, provides expertise and advisory services to businesses and government to help them achieve their environmental objectives. As part of this work ADEME helps to finance projects - from research to implementation - in the areas of waste management, air quality, energy efficiency and renewable energy, amongst others.

Through the ADEME international club, they also help to bring to international attention French technologies and ideas that can be implemented abroad, and at all levels. You should check out their 2016-2017 catalogue of 120 solutions. We are looking forward to working with them to plug into their network of solutions that we can help share with investors and implementers looking for profitable solutions that can protect the environment.

The network that ADEME have created will be complimentary to the objectives of the World Alliance as we seek to identify the most promising solutions from around the world that can help us transition toward sustainable growth.

The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Bertrand Piccard, Chairman of the Solar Impulse Foundation, and Bruno Léchevin, President of ADEME, and was witnessed by Nicolas Hulot, Minister of Ecological and Solidarity Transition, who hailed the partnership; “Your cooperation through the World Alliance will, without a doubt, help give new impetus to the promotion and the deployment of ecologically sustainable solutions that will improve our daily lives.”

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Innoenergy and the World Alliance: together toward sustainable energy

This morning at The Business Booster conference in Amsterdam, the World Alliance for Efficient Solutions and Innoenergy agreed to work together to deliver sustainable energy solutions for Europe, that can in turn be adopted by companies and governments all over the world.

Innoenergy works with their network of partners to build connections across Europe to foster innovation, entrepreneurship and education. Their business model de-risks innovation and investment, thereby allowing more organisations to participate, and resulting in a broad array of new technologies, products and solutions.

Bertrand Piccard, Chairman of the Solar Impulse Foundation, said “InnoEnergy has a rich network of partners and innovative technologies across Europe’s clean energy ecosystem, which we believe can add significant value to our efforts – and vice versa. This is a truly exciting collaboration that has the potential to accelerate our progress.”

And they have had extraordinary success; after 3 years, 91% of the startups InnoEnergy have invested in are commercially viable. These are unheard of, and serves to demonstrate the enormous untapped potential that the clean energy transition has for profitable solutions that protect the environment.

The two organizations will now join forces to identify promising solutions that could be considered for inclusion in the 1,000 solutions to protect the environment that the Solar Impulse Foundation has promised to bring to decision-makers in 2018. This will also help Innoenergy identify potential ideas to support.

“When it comes to turning an idea into a commercial reality there are many moving parts, but by harnessing the combined power of our connections, this collaboration presents a truly win-win situation,” said Diego Pavia, CEO of Innoenergy.

“The backdrop of this signing [The Business Booster (TBB)]  is particularly apt. With more than 160 clean-tech start-ups, innovations, investors and large energy industry players present, we are already creating the conditions for genuine change.”

.@bertrandpiccard The World Alliance 🤝 wants to bring together all innovators that want to protect environment in a profitable way #TBB2017 pic.twitter.com/aaekKvxNUV

— EIT InnoEnergy (@InnoEnergyEU)

October 25, 2017

Bertrand and Diego were joined at the signing by Maroš Šefčovič, Vice-President of the European Commission for the Energy Union, who spoke of his excitement about this relationship, and the need for regulation to also help make this energy transformation

Pull not Push innovation

Bertrand Piccard, Chairman of the Solar Impulse Foundation, believes we can speed up this success if we find ways to pull innovation - such as through regulation that makes clean energy a more obvious choice - rather than pushing it.

Speaking at the TBB conference, he said “Imagine if we pull innovation instead of pushing it. Imagine if governments would be much more ambitious in their environmental policies - It would create a real need for innovation.

At this moment we tend to push innovation with public money, with subsidies. The result is that we get solutions, but they are not being used.

There are very few restrictions on putting CO2 in the air or wasting energy or natural resources. The solutions are there, but there is no need to use them. There is a moral need, an ecological need, but not a legal need.”

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This blog contains content that first appeared on energypost.eu

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Mit der Sonne um die Welt: Unsere Solar Impulse Abenteurer auf Deutsch!

André und ich haben dieses Buch geschrieben, um Ihnen zu erzählen, was die Medien und Kameras nie zu sehen bekamen: Unsere Zweifel, Ängste, Schwierigkeiten, aber auch unsere Leidenschaft, mit der wir Hindernisse überwunden haben, um unseren Traum von der Weltumrundung ohne Kraftstoffe und nur mit Sonnenenergie zu verwirklichen. Wir wollten transparent sein. Es wäre falsch, den Eindruck zu vermitteln, wir seien gefühlskalte Helden. Nein, es ging uns im Gegenteil gerade darum zu zeigen, dass das Unmögliche von all jenen machbar ist, die ihre Gewissheiten hinterfragen können und das Unbekannte und Herausforderungen als Chancen akzeptieren, die die Kreativität und Leistung beflügeln. Wir hatten uns von Anfang an gesagt, dass eine Geschichte wie diese hier vor allem dazu dienen sollte, die Leser dazu anzuspornen, ihre eigenen Träume zu verwirklichen. 

Abgesehen von der ökologischen Botschaft unseres Solarflugzeugs und der Technologie, geht es in diesem Buch vor allem um das menschliche Abenteuer, das wir zu Blatt gebracht haben, um unseren Glauben an den Pioniergeist zu teilen, der neue Denk- und Handlungsweisen hervorbringt. Wir hoffen, es gefällt Ihnen ... und inspiriert Sie!

Bertrand Piccard

Mehr Informationen zum Buch und wo Sie es kaufen können, finden Sie hier:

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The World Alliance goes to Paris looking to find clean and profitable solutions

Bertrand Piccard travelled to Paris last Friday to meet with Mayor Hidalgo to discuss opportunities for collaboration with the World Alliance for Efficient Solutions. Paris has set itself one of the most ambitious sustainability targets of any city in the world, intending to be carbon neutral and powered 100% by renewable energy come 2050. Mayor Anne Hidalgo has taken up this challenge, though as President of the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group - which connects more than 90 cities around the world, representing over 650 million people and one quarter of the global economy - it’s not entirely surprising.

Cities consume over two-thirds of the world’s energy and account for more than 70% of global CO2 emissions. Their footprint is likely to grow as more and more people move from rural areas to make the most of opportunities that exist in cities. By 2050, two-thirds of the world’s population will have moved to live in cities. And don’t forget that global population is projected to increase by a third in that time (2050).

Fortunately, cities often share similar sorts of challenges. In recent years, mayors and local leaders have begun to assert themselves, recognizing both their responsibility and the opportunities that exist to develop more sustainable ways of living.

And so working with Paris is mutually beneficial to both of us; through the World Alliance, if we can bring solutions to help Paris achieve their ambitious targets, we will show that you don’t have to make a choice between strengthening the economy and protecting the environment, but that sustainability can be profitable. Similarly, the World Alliance and its members can also benefit from the living laboratory that Paris will become as it seeks to find the solutions that work, allowing many other cities to benefit from experience of Paris.

It’s becoming increasingly well understood that transitioning toward a sustainable economy can give a great many competitive advantages, so Paris is by no means the only city trying to get ahead. And you can be sure that the World Alliance is looking to work with all forward-thinking cities to help them identify the best solutions for their needs, and share those solutions more broadly.

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Air Liquide working with the World Alliance to identify profitable solutions to protect the environment

As you know, we at the World Alliance have committed to selecting 1000 profitable solutions to protect the environment by COP 24 next year. In doing so, we will help decision makers in business and politics identify solutions that are financially and technically viable and move us away from the old, polluting and inefficient ones we use now.

B.Potier, CEO #AirLiquide "Proud of the commitment of #AirLiquide's experts to the @Solarimpulse Foundation" https://t.co/dfqIUk2App pic.twitter.com/yZKYll3BQm

— Air Liquide Group (@airliquidegroup) October 13, 2017

Air Liquide, the global leader in gases, technologies and services for industry and health, are joining us today to help us in that mission, and we couldn’t be happier. They are making available almost 100 experts specialising in energy, water and materials that will identify and evaluate solutions submitted to the World Alliance for consideration.

Air Liquide have a long history of developing successful and innovative products and services - you may have seen their Hydrogen fuel cell taxis travelling around Paris in recent years, but they are also involved in industries such as medical, chemical and electronic manufacturers - and their expertise in helping us to identify what ideas to select will be invaluable.

I'm proud to support Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Day #DriveH2 #HydrogenNow Like @bertrandpiccard when he uses a 💯% #hydrogen taxi in Paris pic.twitter.com/8jLE73dtHp

— Dominique Lecocq (@Lecocq_dom) October 8, 2017

Air Liquide will also become a partner to the Solar Impulse Foundation, continuing their support that first began in 2013 through the Solar Impulse project. We are happy to have them join us.

Link to Press Release >

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Bertrand Piccard speaks at the International Energy Agency

© IEA/Michael Dean

The IEA has launched a new high-level distinguished speaker series, big IdEAs. Top thinkers, decision makers and global leaders will give talks that are idea-focused on a wide range of subjects that are timely and relevant but not always directly related to energy.

Bertrand Piccard was invited to the IEA to talk about his experience flying around the world without fuel in Solar Impulse, an aircraft powered only by the suns’s rays. Piccard also spoke about his next big project - establishing the World Alliance for Efficient Solutions. Watch the video below:

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Longtime supporters Solvay continue their partnership with Solar Impulse

Bertrand Piccard, Jean-Pierre Clamadieu, CEO of Solvay, and Carlos Moedas of the European Commission discuss at the Flagey Culture House in Brussels.

.@solvaygroup was the first partner to join @solarimpulse, when nobody believed it was possible. https://t.co/NuMOOuZJCV

As we strive to find clean and efficient solutions for a sustainable future, we are pleased to announce that Solvay, a key contributor to the success of the Solar Impulse flight around the world, will continue their long-standing relationship with us, becoming a partner of the Solar Impulse Foundation and joining the World Alliance for Efficient Solutions.

The partnership was announced at the Flagey culture house in Brussels by Solvay CEO Jean-Pierre Clamadieu and Bertrand Piccard, as part of a screening of Solar Impulse, l’impossible tour du monde.

Solvay were one of the earliest supporters of Solar Impulse’s mission, and their technology could be found throughout the aircraft, most notably in the lightweight fuselage. It also marks the next phase of the relationship between Solvay and the Piccard family that extends all the way back to the 1920’s and Bertrand’s grandfather, Auguste.

“Solvay’s joining of the Alliance, naturally flows from our 13-year partnership with Solar Impulse when we provided a variety of break-through technologies essential to the plane’s success. This Alliance will show again how collaboration and open innovation will turn visions into daily applications for a more sustainable planet and growth,” said Jean-Pierre Clamadieu.

The announcement also included an exchange between Clamadieu, Piccard and Carlos Moedas, the Research, Science and Innovation commissioner for the European Commission, where they discussed how we take our ambitions for the future and make them a reality.

The partnership between the Solar Impulse Foundation and Solvay demonstrates our shared commitment to find solutions that will make for a cleaner, better society. Solvay are a multi-specialty chemistry company developing products used in - amongst others - planes, cars, batteries, smart and medical devices. Through their products they seek to address key societal challenges and promote sustainability.

Solvay solutions could be found in more than two dozen applications across the Solar Impulse aircraft. Besides a fuselage that was extraordinarily lightweight, using carbon fiber composites and a systematic metal replacement program, their products were used for energy capture and storage, as well as improving the endurance and safety of the aircraft. You can find out more here.

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Lassen wir Ballast ab und ändern wir die Höhe für ein besseres Leben

Breitling Orbiter 3 startet am 1. März 1999 aus Château-d'Oex (CH) | © Solar Impulse

Ein Flug im Gasballon zeigt einem gerade das zu tun, was wir im Alltag alles gelernt haben und bietet neue Strategien für Innovation, Kreativität und Krisenmanagement.

Während unserer Schul- und Berufsbildung lehrt man uns, Unsicherheiten, Veränderungen und Unbekanntes zu fürchten – also alles, was wir nicht kontrollieren können. Und was tun wir? Wir setzen alles daran, Unvorhersehbarkeiten und Hindernisse aus dem Weg zu räumen. Wir wünschen uns mehr Kraft, mehr Geschwindigkeit, mehr Kontrolle, um in die gewählte Richtung zu gehen. Manchmal klappt das, aber sehr oft ist das Leben nicht so vorhersehbar, wie wir denken. Wie oft werden unsere Träume wahr?

In einem Ballon ist alles anders. Wir haben keinen Antrieb, denn es gibt keinen Motor, keine Steuerung, denn wir werden vom Wind geleitet. Wir kontrollieren nicht einmal unsere Geschwindigkeit oder Richtung, denn das ist Aufgabe der meteorologischen Bedingungen. Wir befinden uns in einer permanenten Krisensituation, denn wir wissen genau, woher wir kommen, ohne zu wissen, wohin wir gehen.

Und was genau ist daran so interessant? Im Korb eines Ballons können wir etwas Vitales lernen: Die Atmosphäre besteht aus ganz unterschiedlichen Windschichten, die sich mit unterschiedlicher Geschwindigkeit in verschiedene Richtungen bewegen. Dies bedeutet, dass jedes Mal, wenn wir in die falsche Richtung geleitet werden, die Höhe ändern müssen, um eine Windschicht zu finden, die uns eine bessere Flugbahn bietet.

Im Leben befinden wir uns in der gleichen Situation, denn das Leben ist wie die Atmosphäre: Allem, dem wir uns gegenübersehen, ist wie der Wind: Modetrends, die Börse, die Finanzkrise, politische Entscheidungen, Unfälle, Krankheiten, Todesfälle, Erfolg, Misserfolg, Liebe usw. Alle diese Dinge treffen uns völlig unvorbereitet und treiben uns ins Unbekannte. Wenn wir also das Ungewisse hassen, wird unser ganzes Leben zu einem Albtraum.

Bertrand Piccard in the Breitling Orbiter 3

Wir müssen das Leben als Testfeld ansehen, das es zu entdecken gilt, um neue Tools und Ressourcen zu finden, die immer effizienter werden. Wenn wir uns gegen das Unkontrollierbare sträuben, verschwenden wir einfach nur unsere Zeit. Wir sollten uns wie Ballonfahrer verhalten und verstehen, dass unsere einzige Freiheit und Verantwortung darin besteht, in widrigen Situationen im Leben die Höhe im Lebenswind zu ändern. In unserer Ausbildung, unserem Beruf, unserem Verhalten und unseren Reaktionen – psychologisch, philosophisch und spirituell – müssen wir die Höhe ändern, um neue Schichten, Einflüsse, Strategien, Lösungen und Antworten zu finden, die uns automatisch in eine neue Richtung bringen werden. Wir müssen jederzeit bereit sein, unsere Weltsicht zu verändern, wenn wir unser Schicksal um die Hindernisse steuern wollen und die Zukunft miterfinden wollen, statt einfach ein Opfer zu sein.

Aber die Höhe im Lebenswind zu ändern ist keine poetische Metapher. Es ist ein konkretes Verhalten, sobald wir verstehen, wie ein Ballon funktioniert. Wer aufsteigen will, muss leichter werden und dazu Ballast abwerfen, z.B. Sand, Wasser, Lebensmittelvorräte oder alte Geräte, die nicht mehr dienen (am besten nicht über bewohntem Gebiet).

Im Leben sollten wir lernen, dies genauso zu tun. Wir haben viel Ballast, aber wir haben gelernt, ihn an Bord zu behalten. Unser Ballast besteht aus Gewissheiten, Sicherheit, Gewohnheiten, Überzeugungen, Glauben, Ausrufezeichen, Paradigmen, Dogmen, allgemeine Annahmen usw. Leider versuchen wir in jeder Krisensituation diesen Ballast mit aller Kraft in den Händen zu behalten, statt ihn einfach über Bord zu werfen. Wir glauben, dass uns diese Haltung stärker macht, aber das ist Unsinn: Er macht uns nur schwerer. Haben Sie bemerkt, wie sehr wir in einer Krise an Gewohnheiten hängen, statt den Ballast einfach über Bord zu kippen?

Zu lernen, den Ballast abzuwerfen, ist fundamental, auch wenn es genau das Gegenteil von dem ist, was wir in der Ausbildung gelernt haben. Was bedeutet „Ballast abwerfen“? Die ehrliche Analyse dessen, was wir zutiefst glauben, und die Vorstellung des Gegenteils. Damit meine ich nicht, dass das Gegenteil unbedingt besser sein muss, aber wir können uns bewusst machen, wie wir üblicherweise denken und gleichzeitig das Gegenteil vorstellen. So haben wir nicht nur eine Option zur Verfügung sondern alle Möglichkeiten, die zwischen zwei Extremen stehen. Nicht nur die Richtung, die uns in einer Krise festhält, sondern alle Lösungen vor uns. Alle Lösungen werden plötzlich möglich sein. Der nächste Schritt ist den Ansatz zu finden, der sich am besten eignet, und ihn umzusetzen. Die aktive Entscheidung macht uns frei. Nicht unbedingt frei, alles zu tun, da das nicht immer möglich ist, aber frei, in jede Richtung zu denken und uns unsere Zukunft auf innovativere Weise vorzustellen.

Auguste Piccard startet mit dem Ballon FRNS auf den 2. Aufstieg in die Stratosphäre im August 1932.

Natürlich sollte alles damit beginnen, dass wir mit uns ehrlich sind, zu verstehen, worauf wir unsere Vision aufbauen wollen. Aber es bedeutet auch, dass wir zugeben können müssen, dass es ganz andere Handlungs- und Denkweisen gibt, als die, die wir kennen. Und das kann für unser Ego schwierig sein. Deshalb sollte unser Ego als Ballast angesehen werden.

Eine gute Übung ist es, jemandem zuzuhören, der die genau gegensätzliche Meinung hat, ohne ihn oder sie ständig zu unterbrechen und unsere eigene Sicht einzubringen. Und nicht nur ohne Unterbrechung, sondern auch durch genaues Zuhören der Argumente des anderes, während wir für uns denken: „Was kann ich daraus lernen?“ oder „Und wenn diese Person recht hat und ich mich geirrt habe?“

Dies stimmt für Politik, Religion, Finanzen, Umweltfragen, Medizin, Kindererziehung usw. Wenn man die Meinung anderer Menschen mit einer anderen Religion oder politischen Ansicht nicht akzeptieren kann, wird man die eigenen Geschäftsstrategien oder Beziehungen mit anderen Personen im Privatleben nie ändern können.

Der schwerwiegendste Fehler ist zu glauben, dass eine gute Strategie oder Denkweise, die lange funktioniert hat, dies immer tun wird. Deshalb sind Zweifel und Fragezeichen wichtiger als Gewohnheiten und Gewissheiten. Wir sollten uns regelmässig fragen: „Auf welchem Paradigma basiert meine Strategie?“ oder „Was sollte ich ändern, bevor mich der Lebenswind überraschenderweise trifft und mich in die Krise treibt?“

Wenn wir uns daran gewöhnen, wie ein Ballonfahrer zu handeln, wie sieht unsere Zukunft dann aus? Wie ein Feuerwerk. Es ist nicht mehr einfach nur eine Linie, die uns in eine Richtung treibt. An jedem Punkt im Leben besteht die Zukunft aus allen möglichen Linien, die in drei Dimensionen in jede Richtung und Höhe abgehen. Und was ist Kreativität, Krisenmanagement, Unternehmergeist und Innovation? Sie entstehen, wenn wir die vertikale Achse erforschen, die Höhe ändern, jede Schicht im Lebenswind überwachen und testen und jede mögliche Denk- und Handlungsweise ausprobieren, bis wir eine gefunden haben, die uns in die richtige Richtung treibt. Deshalb kommt Innovation weniger mit einer neuen Idee zustande als wenn wir einen alten Glauben als Ballast über Bord werfen.

Spielen wir also für unsere Zukunft eine aktivere Rolle, statt einfach nur das Opfer unseres Schicksals zu sein. Ändern wir die Höhe im Lebenswind!

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Jeter du lest et changer d’altitude pour une vie meilleure

Breitling Orbiter 3 décollera de Château-d'Oex (CH) le 1er mars 1999 | © Solar Impulse

Voler en ballon à gaz nous apprend à faire exactement le contraire de tout ce que nous avons appris à faire dans notre vie quotidienne, et nous offre de nouvelles stratégies pour innover, créer et gérer les crises.

Par notre éducation et notre formation, nous avons appris à craindre les incertitudes, les changements, l’inconnu, en d’autres termes, tout ce que nous ne pouvons contrôler. Alors que faisons-nous ? Nous acquérons tous les outils possibles permettant de lutter contre l’imprévisibilité et d’éviter les obstacles. Nous voulons plus de puissance, plus de vitesse, plus de contrôle pour aller dans la direction que nous avons choisie. Cela fonctionne parfois, mais beaucoup plus souvent, la vie ne nous donne pas exactement ce à quoi nous nous attendions et nos rêves ne deviennent pas toujours réalité.

Dans un ballon, tout est différent. Nous n'avons aucun pouvoir puisque nous n'avons pas de moteur, aucun contrôle, puisque nous sommes poussés par le vent, et nous ne contrôlons même pas notre vitesse, ni notre direction, puisque ce sont les conditions météorologiques qui les déterminent. C’est une situation de crise permanente ; nous savons très bien d'où nous venons mais n'avons aucune idée d'où nous allons.

Mais alors quel est l’intérêt ? Dans la nacelle d’un ballon, nous pouvons apprendre quelque chose d'essentiel : l’atmosphère est composée de couches de vent très différentes qui se déplacent dans différentes directions et à des vitesses différentes. Chaque fois que nous sommes poussés dans une mauvaise direction, le seul moyen de nous libérer est de changer notre altitude pour trouver une couche de vent qui offrira une meilleure trajectoire.

Dans la vie, nous faisons face à la même situation, car la vie est comme l’atmosphère, car tout ce à quoi nous sommes confrontés – modes, tendances, Bourse, crises financières et décisions politiques, accidents, maladies et mort, succès, échecs et amour, etc. – est comme le vent, nous arrive d’une manière totalement imprévisible et nous pousse vers l’inconnu. Ainsi, si nous sommes habitués à haïr l’inconnu, notre vie se transforme en cauchemar.

Bertrand Piccard dans le Breitling Orbiter 3

Nous devons comprendre la vie comme un champ d’expérimentation à explorer pour acquérir de nouveaux outils et de nouvelles ressources permettant d'être toujours plus efficaces. Nous ne ferons que gaspiller notre temps et notre énergie si nous essayons de résister ou de lutter contre ce qui échappe à notre contrôle. Nous devons nous comporter comme un aéronaute et comprendre que notre seule liberté et notre seule responsabilité sont de changer d’altitude dans les vents de la vie chaque fois que nous faisons face à des situations défavorables. Tant dans notre éducation que dans notre profession, dans notre manière d'agir que de réagir, que ce soit psychologiquement, philosophiquement ou spirituellement, nous devons changer d'altitude pour trouver d'autres niveaux, influences, stratégies, solutions ou réponses qui nous pousseront automatiquement dans une autre direction. À chaque instant, nous devons être prêts à modifier notre vision du monde si nous voulons éviter les obstacles et inventer notre propre avenir au lieu d'en être victime.

Mais changer d'altitude dans les vents de la vie ne doit pas être compris comme une métaphore poétique. Cela devient une attitude très concrète du moment où nous comprenons comment fonctionne une montgolfière ; si vous voulez monter, vous devez être plus léger, et donc jeter du lest, que ce soit du sable, des réserves d'eau et de nourriture ou de vieux équipements devenus inutiles (si possible au-dessus de régions non habitées !).

Dans notre vie, nous devons apprendre à faire de même. Nous avons beaucoup de lest, mais nous apprenons hélas à tout garder à bord. Notre lest est fait de certitudes, de sécurité, d'habitudes, de convictions, de croyances, de points d'exclamation, de paradigmes, de dogmes, de lieux communs, etc. Malheureusement, chaque fois que nous faisons face à une crise, nous nous agrippons à ce lest au lieu de le jeter par-dessus bord. Nous sommes convaincus qu'il nous rendra plus forts, mais c'est faux : il nous rendra simplement plus lourds. Avez-vous remarqué à quel point nous avons tendance à nous accrocher à des habitudes familières en période de crise, au lieu de jeter du lest par-dessus bord ?

Apprendre à jeter du lest est crucial, même si ce n'est pas du tout ce que l'on nous apprend. Que signifie « jeter du lest » ? Analysez honnêtement vos intimes convictions et essayez d'en envisager exactement le contraire. Je ne dis pas que le contraire sera nécessairement meilleur mais que nous pouvons prendre conscience de notre manière habituelle de penser et imaginer en même temps son exact contraire. Ainsi, nous n'aurons pas qu'une seule option disponible mais toutes les options qui se trouvent entre les deux extrêmes. Pas uniquement une direction qui nous retient prisonniers d'une crise, mais aussi toutes les solutions qui s'offrent à nous. Toutes les solutions seront soudain à notre portée. L'étape suivante sera de trouver laquelle nous convient le mieux, puis de décider de l'adopter. Cette décision active nous rendra libre. Pas nécessairement libre de faire tout ce que l'on veut, ce qui n'est pas toujours possible, mais libre de penser dans toutes les directions, d'envisager notre avenir d'une manière plus innovante.

Auguste Piccard décollera avec le ballon FRNS lors du 2ème ascension de la stratosphère en août 1932.

Naturellement, nous devons d'abord être suffisamment honnêtes avec nous-mêmes pour comprendre sur quelle base notre vision de la situation est construite, et admettre qu'il existe des moyens de faire et de penser complètement différents de ceux que nous avons appris, ce qui peut être difficile pour notre ego. Ce dernier doit ainsi être considéré comme du lest supplémentaire.

Un bon exercice consiste à écouter quelqu'un dont les opinions sont complètement différentes sans l'interrompre en permanence pour donner ses propres points de vue. Sans l'interrompre, mais aussi en écoutant attentivement les arguments de l'autre en se disant : “Que cela peut-il m'apprendre ?” ou “Et si cette personne avait raison et moi tort ?”

Cela peut aussi bien s'appliquer à la politique, à la religion, à la finance et aux questions environnementales qu'à la médecine et à l'éducation des enfants. Si vous ne pouvez admettre que l'opinion des personnes d'une autre religion ou d'un autre bord politique est précieuse, vous ne pourrez jamais changer votre stratégie, que ce soit dans les affaires, dans vos relations avec les autres ou dans votre vie privée.

La plus grande erreur est de croire qu'une bonne stratégie ou une manière de penser qui a fonctionné pendant longtemps continuera de fonctionner pour toujours. Ainsi, doutes et points d'interrogation sont plus importants qu'habitudes et certitudes. Nous devons régulièrement nous demander : “Sur quel paradigme est basée ma stratégie ?” et “Que dois-je peut-être changer avant que les vents de la vie me prennent par surprise et me plongent dans une crise ?”

À quoi ressemblerait notre avenir si nous prenions l'habitude de nous comporter comme un aéronaute ? À un feu d'artifice. Ce ne serait plus une ligne unique nous poussant dans une direction unique. À chaque moment de notre vie, l'avenir se construirait à partir de toutes les lignes possibles s'étirant dans toutes les directions et à chaque altitude, en trois dimensions. Créativité, gestion de crise, esprit d'entreprise et innovation se développent lorsque nous acceptons d'explorer l'axe vertical, de changer d'altitude, d'examiner et d'explorer chaque couche des vents de la vie, et essayons toutes les différentes manières de penser et d'agir, jusqu'à trouver celle qui va dans la direction que nous souhaitons. C'est en cela que l'innovation n'est pas tant de trouver de nouvelles idées que de jeter nos vieilles croyances comme du lest par-dessus bord.

Essayons donc de jouer plus souvent un rôle actif dans notre avenir plutôt que d'être victime de notre destin, en changeant d'altitude dans les vents de la vie.

[solarimpulse2]

Drop your ballast and change altitude to live a better life

Our education teaches us to fear uncertainty, change, the unknown - everything we cannot control. Flying in a balloon teaches us to do exactly the opposite.

Breitling Orbiter 3 takes off from Château-d’Oex (CH) on 1st March 1999 | © Solar Impulse

Flying in a gas balloon teaches us to do exactly the opposite of everything we have learned to do in our daily life, and offers us new strategies for innovation, creativity and crisis management.

In our education and training, we are taught to fear the uncertainties, the changes, the unknown, in other words everything we cannot control. So what do we do? We acquire all the possible tools to fight against unpredictability and avoid obstacles. We want to have more power, more speed, more control to go in the direction we have chosen.  Sometimes it works, but much more often life doesn't give us exactly what we expected. How often do our dreams become reality?

In a balloon, everything is different. We have no power as we have no engine, no control, as we are pushed by the wind, and we don’t even control our own speed or direction, as it is the meteorological conditions that will decide. It’s a permanent crisis situation as we know exactly where we are coming from, but without any idea where we are going.

So what's the interest of it? In the basket of a balloon, we can learn something vital: the atmosphere is made out of very different wind layers which travel in different direction and at different speeds. It means that each time we are pushed in a bad direction, the only way to get out of it is to change our altitude and find a layer of wind which will give us a better trajectory.

In life, we face the same situation, because life is like the atmosphere: everything we face - fashions, trends, the stock exchange, the financial crisis, political decisions, as well as accidents, sicknesses and deaths, success, failure, love and so on, everything is like the wind: it comes to us in a completely unpredictable way and pushes us toward the unknown. So if we are used to hating the unknown, our entire life is going to be a nightmare.

Bertrand Piccard in the Breitling Orbiter 3 | © Solar Impulse

We should understand life as an experimental field that we must explore in order to acquire new tools and new resources to always be more efficient. We will just waste our time and energy if we try to resist or to fight against that which we cannot control. We should behave as a balloonist and understand that our only freedom and responsibility is to change altitude in the winds of life each time we face unfavorable situations. In our education, our profession, our way of behaving and reacting, even psychologically, philosophically and spiritually, we must change altitude to find other levels, other influences, strategies, solutions or answers that will automatically push us in another direction. We must be ready at every moment to modify our vision of the world if we want to steer our destiny around the obstacles and invent our own future instead of being a victim of it.

But changing altitude in the winds of life is not to be understood as a poetic metaphor. It becomes a very concrete behavior as soon as we understand how a balloon works; If you want to climb, you have to become lighter, and therefore you have to drop ballast, i.e. sand, water, reserves of food or old equipment you don’t need any more (if possible over unpopulated areas!).

In our life, we should learn to do the same. We have a lot of ballast, but we unfortunately learn to keep it on board. Our ballast is made out of certitudes, safety, habits, convictions, beliefs, exclamation marks, paradigms, dogmas, common assumptions and so on. Unfortunately, every time we face a crisis, we try to hold this ballast in our hands as hard as we can instead of throwing it overboard. We believe this attitude will make us stronger, but it’s wrong: it only makes us heavier. Have you noticed how much we tend to cling to familiar habits in a period of crisis, instead of dropping our ballast over board?

Learning to drop ballast is crucial, although it is not at all what we learn to do in our education. What does dropping ballast mean? To honestly analyze what we deeply believe, and try to envisage exactly the opposite. I don’t mean that the opposite will necessarily be better, but that we can become aware of our usual way of thinking and simultaneously imagine exactly the opposite. Like this, we won’t just have one single option available, but all the options that stand between both extremes. Not only one direction that keeps us prisoners of a crisis, but all the solutions laying in front of us. All the solutions will suddenly be within our reach.  The next step will be to find which one suits us best and then decide to follow it. This active decision will make us free. Not necessarily free to do everything, as this is not always possible, but free to think in every direction, to envisage our future in a more innovative way.

Auguste Piccard takes off with the balloon FRNS on the 2nd ascent into the stratosphere in August, 1932. | © Solar Impulse

Of course everything should begin by being honest enough with ourselves to understand on what basis our vision of the situation is constructed. It also means we are obliged to be able to admit that there are completely other ways of doing and thinking than the ones we have learned. And this can be difficult for our ego to admit. Therefore our ego should be considered as additional ballast.

A good exercise is to listen to someone who has a completely opposite opinion, without interrupting all the time to give our own views. And not only without interrupting, but also by listening carefully to the other arguments while thinking within ourselves: “What can I learn from that?” or “And what if this person was right and I was wrong?”

This is true for politics, religion, finance, environmental issues, medicine, children’s education and so on. If you cannot accept that the opinion of people having another religion or political party is valuable, you will never be able to change anything in your own strategies of business, your relations with other people or in your private life.

The worst mistake is to believe that a good strategy or a way of thinking that has worked for a long time will always continue to work in the future. Therefore doubts and question marks are more important than habits and certainties. We should regularly ask ourselves: “On which paradigm is my strategy based?” and “What should I maybe change before the Winds of Life take me by surprise and put me in a crisis”.

If we get used to behaving like the balloonist does, how will our future look like? Like a firework.  It will no longer be a single line pushing us in a single direction. At every moment of our life, the future will be made out of all the possible lines going in every direction and at every altitude, in 3 dimensions. And what is creativity, crisis management, entrepreneurial spirit, innovation? It‘s when we accept to explore the vertical axis, to change altitude, monitor and explore every layer in the winds of life, and try every different way of thinking and behaving, until we find the one that goes in the direction we are looking for. This is why innovation comes less with a new idea we have than with an old belief we throw overboard as ballast.

So let’s try to more often play an active role in our future rather than be a victim of our fate , by changing altitude in the winds of life.

[solarimpulse2]

Lösungen, Lösungen, Lösungen

Gemasolar-Thermosolar-Werk in Sevilla, Spanien | © Roberto Saltori via Flickr

Seit ich mich erinnern kann, wurden der Klimawandel und die Umweltzerstörung als Problem dargestellt, dem es entgegenzuwirken gilt. Zuerst war es deprimierend, dann wurde es langweilig und jetzt sind viele von uns einfach abgestumpft, obwohl es die Leben von Millionen Menschen betrifft. Aber langsam spüre ich, dass sich etwas bewegt.

Seit wir 2011 mit dem ersten Prototypen an die Green Week nach Brüssel geflogen sind, hat sich viel getan. Die internationale Gemeinschaft hat ein umsetzbares globales Klimaabkommen geschaffen, erneuerbare Energien sind günstiger als fossile Brennstoffe und wir haben es geschafft, nur mit Sonnenenergie rund um die Welt zu fliegen. Heute sind wir viel weiter als noch vor sechs Jahren.

Heute sind Lösungen zur Bekämpfung des Klimawandels rentabel geworden. Dies erklärt den Erfolg des Pariser Abkommens, da es den Ländern mehr Flexibilität bietet, über ihren Beitrag zum Kampf gegen den Klimawandel zu entscheiden. Zudem sind die relevanten Technologien für die breite Bevölkerung erschwinglicher geworden und die Menschen können ihre Visionen und Ideen teilen. Wir sind an einem Wendepunkt angelangt.

Jetzt müssen wir eine förderliche Umgebung schaffen, damit die Menschen innovative Ideen haben, und diese anschliessend den marktüblichen und echten sozialen Bedingungen aussetzen. Und wie soll das gehen? Saubere Energie für alle Europäer: Das Thema der diesjährigen Konferenz ist mehr als ein Ziel oder einfach nur ein Slogan. Es ist eine Chance für unseren Kontinent, bei der Modernisierung der Wirtschaft mittels einer Wende zu sauberen Energien an vorderster Front zu stehen und so den Europäern eine neue Vision und damit Hoffnung zu geben.

Dazu gehört es, die Kapazität zur Produktion sauberer Energien zu aufzubauen – eine hervorragende Chance für europäische Unternehmen, die 40 % aller Patente für erneuerbare Energien innehaben. Die andere Hälfte der Gleichung liegt in der Energieeffizienz, bei der es nicht um die Produktion der Effizienz geht, sondern darum, wie wir sie nutzen. Dass dies die oberste Priorität der Energiestrategie der Europäischen Kommission ist, verheisst Gutes.

Zusammen mit einem Fokus auf Lösungen ist dies für mich und für Europa spannend. Mein Ziel ist es mit der Solar Impulse Foundation 1000 effiziente und profitable Lösungen an die COP 24 zu bringen, um die Regierungen beim Erreichen der Ziele des Pariser Abkommens zu unterstützen. Wir haben uns schon mit der Europäischen Kommission und einigen Kommissaren getroffen – darunter Maroš Šefčovič, Miguel Arias Cañete, Jyrki Katainen und Carlos Moedas – um zu diesem Zweck eine Partnerschaft mit uns vorzuschlagen. Diese bringt europäischen Innovatoren, Unternehmen und Bürgern direkte Vorteile. Deshalb freue ich mich auf die diesjährige Woche für nachhaltige Energie, da sie eine ausgezeichnete Plattform bietet, mit Menschen in Kontakt zu kommen, die die Lösungen für unsere Energiewende bringen können.

Zu lange schon war unsere Herangehensweise an die Energie mit einem Bad in einer lecken Badewanne vergleichbar. Statt dass wir aber die undichten Stellen abgedichtet haben, liessen wir einfach neues Wasser ein. Das scheint etwas übertrieben, aber leider ist dem so. Heute verlieren wir fast die Hälfte der produzierten Energie aufgrund ineffizienter Systeme, Geräte und Gebäude. An dieser Konferenz werde ich die Teilnehmer herausfordern, den Pioniergeist anzunehmen, den wir uns bei Solar Impulse angeeignet haben: Hinterfragen Sie Ihre Annahmen und Gewissheiten, zeigen Sie, dass saubere Technologien mehr können, als Sie je geträumt haben, und konzentrieren Sie sich auf Lösungen, Lösungen, Lösungen!

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>>> Bertrand Piccard sprach auf der EU-Woche für nachhaltige Energie, die vom 19. bis 25. Juni 2017 stattfand.

[solarimpulse2]

Nous avons passé un cap: les solutions pour lutter contre le changement climatique sont devenues rentables

Gemasolar Thermosolar Plant in Seville, Spain | © Roberto Saltori via Flickr

D'aussi loin que je me souvienne, le changement climatique et la dégradation environnementale ont toujours été abordés comme des problèmes auxquels il fallait faire face. Cela était d'abord déprimant, puis ennuyeux, et aujourd'hui beaucoup d'entre nous sont simplement devenus insensibles à ces questions, malgré l'impact qu'elles ont sur la vie de millions de personnes. Mais dernièrement, j'ai l'impression que nous avons passé un cap.

Depuis 2011, année où nous avons fait voler le premier prototype Solar Impulse jusqu'à Bruxelles à l'occasion de la Semaine verte, beaucoup de choses ont changé. La communauté internationale est parvenue à un accord mondial sur le climat réalisable, les énergies renouvelables sont devenues moins chères que les combustibles fossiles, et nous avons réussi à faire le tour du monde à bord d'un avion uniquement alimenté grâce au soleil. La situation est ainsi aujourd'hui très différente de ce qu'elle était il y a six ans.

Aujourd'hui, les solutions pour la lutte contre le changement climatique sont devenues rentables. Cela explique probablement le succès de l'accord de Paris sur le climat, qui offre aux nations une plus grande flexibilité sur la manière dont elles souhaitent apporter leur contribution. Les technologies appropriées sont aussi devenues plus accessibles à un nombre significatif de personnes, qui pour beaucoup peuvent désormais partager leurs idées et leur vision. Nous avons atteint un moment charnière.

We need to energize our lives: to that end we need a strong regulatory #framework and a #carbontax. #EUSEW17 pic.twitter.com/uWDHSPVNJZ

— Bertrand PICCARD (@bertrandpiccard) June 20, 2017

Nous devons à présent créer un environnement dans lequel les gens pourront concrétiser leurs idées innovantes et les confronter aux conditions réelles du marché et de la société. Comment y parvenir ? Le thème de la conférence de cette année – “Une énergie propre pour tous les Européens” – est plus qu'un simple objectif, voire un slogan ; c'est une occasion pour le continent de prendre le leadership en modernisant son économie par une transition vers les énergies propres, offrant ainsi une nouvelle vision et de l'espoir aux Européens.

L'un des volets consiste à renforcer la capacité à produire une énergie propre ; une excellente opportunité pour les entreprises européennes, qui détiennent 40 % de tous les brevets relatifs aux technologies renouvelables. L'autre point essentiel est l'efficience énergétique ; se concentrer non pas sur la production d'énergie mais sur la manière de l'utiliser. Le fait que ces enjeux soient au cœur de la stratégie énergétique de la Commission européenne est très prometteur.

We need to face the future with confidence: this is the way to be #pioneer by trying and motivating. #EUSEW17 pic.twitter.com/hMzUR34lRu

— Bertrand PICCARD (@bertrandpiccard) June 20, 2017

À cela s'ajoute le nouvel accent sur les solutions, ce qui est enthousiasmant pour moi et pour l'Europe. À travers la Fondation Solar Impulse, j'ai pour objectif de présenter 1 000 solutions efficientes et rentables à la COP 24, afin d'aider les gouvernements à attendre leurs objectifs fixés dans le cadre de l'accord de Paris. À cette fin, j'ai déjà rencontré la Commission européenne et plusieurs de ses membres, notamment Maroš Šefčovič, Miguel Arias Cañete, Jyrki Katainen et Carlos Moedas, pour discuter d'un partenariat. Cela bénéficiera directement aux innovateurs, aux entreprises et aux citoyens de l'UE. J’attends avec impatience la Semaine de l'énergie durable de cette année ; une nouvelle occasion de rencontrer des personnes qui peuvent apporter des solutions pour faire avancer la transition énergétique.

Pendant trop longtemps, notre approche de l'énergie s'apparentait au remplissage d’une baignoire qui fuit et pour laquelle on laisserait couler l'eau pour maintenir le niveau au lieu d’en colmater la fuite. Cela peut sembler exagéré, mais ce ne l'est hélas pas : nous perdons actuellement la moitié de toute l'énergie que nous produisons à cause de systèmes, d'appareils et de bâtiments inefficients. Lors de la conférence, j'inciterai les participants à adopter un esprit de pionnier, comme nous l'avons fait avec Solar Impulse : remettre en question ses suppositions et certitudes, montrer que les technologies propres peuvent aller plus loin que ce que nous croyons possible, et se concentrer sur les solutions, les solutions et toujours les solutions.

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>>> Bertrand Piccard a parlé au EU Sustainable Energy Week du 19 au 25 Juin 2017.

[solarimpulse2]

Solutions, solutions, solutions

Gemasolar Thermosolar Plant in Seville, Spain | © Roberto Saltori via Flickr

For as long as I can remember, climate change and environmental degradation have been framed as a problem to be confronted. It was depressing, then it was boring, and now many of us are just numb to it, even though it impacts upon the lives of millions of people. But lately, I feel we have turned a corner.

Since 2011, when we flew the first prototype of Solar Impulse to Brussels for Green Week, much has changed. The international community has created a workable global climate agreement, renewable energy has become cheaper than fossil fuels, and we managed to fly around the world powered entirely by the sun. We are in a very different place than we were six years ago.

Today, solutions to fight climate change have become profitable. This probably explains the success of the Paris climate agreement, which allows countries greater flexibility to decide what their contributions to climate change will be. Relevant technologies have also become more accessible to a critical mass of people, many of whom can now share their ideas and visions. We have reached a tipping point.

We need to energize our lives: to that end we need a strong regulatory #framework and a #carbontax. #EUSEW17 pic.twitter.com/uWDHSPVNJZ

— Bertrand PICCARD (@bertrandpiccard) 20 juin 2017

We must now create an enabling environment for people to realise innovative ideas and expose them to real-life market and social conditions. How do we do that? Well, the theme of this year’s conference - Clean Energy for all Europeans - is more than just a target or even a slogan; it’s a chance for the continent to take a lead in modernising its economy through a clean energy transition, offering a new vision and giving hope to Europeans.

One part of this is to build capacity to produce clean energy – an excellent opportunity for European companies, who hold 40% of all patents for renewable technologies. The other half of the equation is energy efficiency – focusing not on energy production, but on how we use it. It bodes well that it is the topmost priority for the European Commission’s energy strategy.

We need to face the future with confidence: this is the way to be #pioneer by trying and motivating. #EUSEW17 pic.twitter.com/hMzUR34lRu

— Bertrand PICCARD (@bertrandpiccard) 20 juin 2017

This – coupled with a new focus on solutions – is exciting to me and for Europe. I aim, through the Solar Impulse Foundation, to bring 1000 efficient and profitable solutions to COP 24, so as to help governments reach their goals under the Paris accord. Indeed, I have already met with the European Commission and several commissioners, including Maroš Šefčovič, Miguel Arias Cañete, Jyrki Katainen and Carlos Moedas, to discuss a partnership between us to this end. This will directly benefit EU innovators, businesses and citizens. That’s why I’m looking forward to attending this year’s Sustainable Energy Week, as it will be another excellent opportunity to meet with the people that can bring solutions to advance our energy transition.

For too long, our approach to energy has been akin to a man running a bath in a leaking tub. Yet, instead of plugging the holes, he decides to keep the tap running to maintain the water level. It sounds like an exaggeration, but unfortunately is not; we currently lose as much as half of all the energy we produce due to inefficient systems, devices and buildings. At this conference, I challenge participants to adopt a pioneering spirit as we did with Solar Impulse: question your assumptions and certitudes, show that clean technologies can go beyond what we thought possible, and focus on solutions, solutions, solutions.

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>>> Bertrand Piccard spoke at the EU Sustainable Energy Week, held from the 19-25 June 2017. You can stream the EUSEW here.

[solarimpulse2]

Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg recipients of 2017 Further Award from National Geographic

© Captures from video National Geographic

On the 17th of June, as part of the National Geographic Explorers Festival, Bertrand and André were awarded the 2017 Further Award in recognition of their pioneering solar-powered flight around the world.

My friend @bertrandpiccard accepting the Further award w/ André Borschberg @NatGeo last Saturday! 👏🏾 #natgeofest #makethisplanetgreatagain pic.twitter.com/eKOuaouopm

— Wasfia Nazreen (@wasfia) June 24, 2017

Speech by Bertrand Piccard following reception of the Further Award

the National Geographic Explorers Festival brings together the most fascinating and innovative scientists, conservationists, explorers, and storytellers to share—with one another, and with the world—how their discoveries and ideas are creating change for the better. You can watch the videos from the Explorers Festival here.

the Further Award recognizes leaders in exploration whose work is innovative, timely and impactful. Hence why the pilots of a Solar Impulse were a natural choice, as much for the achievement as the message it spread about the possibilities afforded to us by clean and efficient technologies.

Short video preceding the awarding of the Further Award to Bertrand and André

[solarimpulse2]

The Solar Impulse Foundation unveils a new partnership with ENGIE, working together toward a clean energy transition

Very happy to announce our partnership with @ENGIEgroup: to help take on the major challenge of transitioning to a low-carbon economy. 

Very happy to announce our partnership with @ENGIEgroup: to help take on the major challenge of transitioning to a low-carbon economy. pic.twitter.com/7qnLiLVHLo

— Bertrand PICCARD (@bertrandpiccard)

June 15, 2017

We are happy to welcome ENGIE, the ambitious and innovative French energy company, as the most recent partner of the Solar Impulse Foundation.

It’s a natural fit, committed as we both are to a clean energy transition to make for a sustainable future. We wish to demonstrate that doing so will not be expensive or impact negatively upon our standard of living, but that it can act as a spur to create jobs and opportunity and reinvigorate economies across the world. We also wish to show that solutions already exist, and we should not hold back from implementing them.

ENGIE focus their efforts on three core businesses - electricity, natural gas, and energy services - and are deeply committed to an energy revolution. In recent years they have invested heavily in sustainable innovation, with a number of promising ideas and technologies that they are working to bring to market. Action and investments by such companies are evidence that there is opportunity in cleantech solutions.

Such as Heliatek. Engie have invested in their light and flexible organic photovoltaic films that attach to windows, supplementing the energy captured by solar panels on the roofs of buildings.

Or with electric vehicles, where Symbio FCell are producing battery-life extension systems that allow for non-polluting vehicles to go further before needing to recharge.

Our partnership is an opportunity to help ENGIE share these solutions with members of the World Alliance for Efficient Solutions, as well as to highlight the solutions of others that they may wish to invest in.

It’s another step forward for the Solar Impulse Foundation and we are excited to be working with ENGIE to achieve our shared vision.

[solarimpulse2]

New Opportunities for Climate Action

Photo credit: Vlasta Juricek http://bit.ly/2r5BUdN

Joint post by Maroš Šefčovič and Bertrand Piccard.

The effort to combat climate change has overcome a great many challenges. From being ignored, underestimated, or outright denied, to the near global consensus it enjoys today. Challenges remain, but the Paris climate agreement was a landmark. Our direction of travel is now clear and unstoppable.

This week was a strong reminder of how far we have come as we attended the Mission Innovation and the 8th Clean Energy Ministerial #CEM8 in Beijing.

It has been invigorating to witness the enthusiasm of world leaders, working tirelessly to speed up innovation in clean energy, engaging with the private sector, bringing together investors and innovators, our smart cities and regions, to the benefit of people everywhere. The Paris agreement remains a huge opportunity and we are encouraged by the global reaction to the US withdrawal; a wave of support for climate action by the international community.

During the Beijing Summit, we heard from mayors from all around the world how they are renewing their commitment to the Paris Agreement. Cities consume two-thirds of the world's energy and create over 70% of global CO2 emissions. This figure will likely grow as urbanisation continues to increase rapidly. Through initiatives like the European Covenant of Mayors and the Global Covenant of Mayors, cities are assuming their role in dealing with carbon emissions and pollution, as they recognise the opportunities it affords them. Furthermore, cities serve as living laboratories to test out solutions to see what works best and in which conditions.

Energy ministers & representatives from major economies around the world are gathered for the 2nd #MissionInnovation & #CEM8 in Beijing pic.twitter.com/A0iUJQMjEW

— Mission Innovation (@MICleanEnergyRD)

June 7, 2017

We have also witnessed an encouraging reaction from businesses, with many leading companies and investors in the US and around the world pledging their support for the Paris agreement. They recognise that it simply makes good business sense! Some studies suggest that the global market for clean technologies could amount to more than $USD 60 trillion through 2040.

We too are seeking to capitalise on this momentum. The European Union is a key member of Mission Innovation, an international effort led by 22 countries and the EU to double their public investment in clean energy R&D over five years. It is complemented by investments in clean energy, focusing on early-stage innovations – led by the private sector. The goal is to re-invigorate clean energy innovation and to drive down its costs, making it the most affordable option for consumers.

And as we look for these innovative solutions, we must recognise them when we see them. Innovation is not only about finding new ideas, but finding new ways of doing things we already do. We must identify old beliefs that hold us prisoner, breaking free from those certitudes, and approaching a problem differently to come up with new solutions. That’s why energy efficiency, and not just clean energy, is such a fundamental part of the solution.

The World Alliance for Efficient Solutions, established by Bertrand Piccard and the Solar Impulse Foundation, shares this vision and actively works towards its success. Together with our partners in the EU, we work on showcasing the most promising solutions. The Alliance is working to act as matchmaker for those that have developed clean, profitable and efficient solutions, and those looking to use, invest or otherwise support them. We will bring 1,000 of these solutions to COP 24 at the end of 2018 in order to help governments and companies reach their environmental targets and adopt more ambitious energy policies.

We are already looking forward to next year, when the EU and the Nordic countries will host Mission Innovation and the Clean Energy Ministerial in the dynamic Öresund region of Sweden and Denmark. Canada will host the year after; three major economies from three continents to show that the international commitment to the clean energy transition is unwavering.

Announcing CEM9/MI3 in Europe's #Öresund region next year with Min #Baylan. Will build on China's good work! #CEM8 https://t.co/yrHqzVqMVL pic.twitter.com/I8BLczTJLV

— Maroš Šefčovič🇪🇺 (@MarosSefcovic)

June 8, 2017

We find ourselves in a good moment with a renewed push for companies and governments at all levels around the world to reaffirm their commitment.

To borrow an analogy from ballooning; to continue moving forward, we will change altitude and find strong currents of air to carry us forward. but all indications suggest favourable winds ahead. We are both invigorated by the momentum we are seeing in clean industries to truly transform our economies, create growth and jobs, and improve the quality of life for people across the world.