Lessons from the Solar Impulse project

IN ancient Greek mythology, Icarus was the son of Daedulus who dared to fly too close to the sun on wings of feather and wax made by his father in spite of Daedulus' warning. The heat from the sun melted the wax and Icarus fell to his death. It is meant to be a cautionary tale - and underscores the power of the sun.

It is the same sun that is ultimately a source of a lot of the energy we use on earth - from indirect, stored versions such as hydroelectric and fossil fuels like coal, to new, clean forms like direct solar.

The Solar Impulse project to fly a plane around the world without consuming a drop of fossil fuel, is nearing the end of the Pacific crossing - its biggest hurdle. While its mission is not over yet, the team has already demonstrated that renewables can provide reliable power both day and night, an important step towards clean energy future.