SUNPOWER CORPORATION
SunPower, one of the world's most innovative and sustainable energy companies, designed, engineered and manufactured the incredibly thin, highly efficient, extremely durable solar cells that power Solar Impulse.
The pioneering spirit that drives the Solar Impulse team to break boundaries and prove the infinite potential of renewable energy, is the same spirit that has driven SunPower to innovate for the past 30 years. Committed to changing the way our world is powered, SunPower delivers the industry’s most efficient and durable solar cells commercially available. The company has a rich history of supporting unique solar projects like Solar Impulse to demonstrate that solar power from SunPower is an incredibly durable, reliable, clean energy solution.
More than 17,000 Maxeon® solar cells keep Solar Impulse in flight on its journey around the world. In order for the plane to travel long distances across vast oceans on solar energy alone, every functional design element has to be as light as possible. SunPower cells have an average thickness of only 135 microns – about as thin as a human hair – and maintain industry-leading efficiencies, proving to be the best solution for Solar Impulse. The solar cells – which feature the same technology that SunPower uses to build solar panels for homes and businesses around the world – power the electrical engines of the plane so it can fly during the day, as well as recharge lithium batteries for night flying.
Click here to learn more about why the Solar Impulse team chose SunPower solar.
"SunPower is pleased to be involved with such an ambitious project as the Solar Impulse airplane as it embarks upon its record-setting, around-the-world flight," said Tom Werner, SunPower president and CEO. "As a vertically integrated company, SunPower not only powers distinctive projects such as Solar Impulse, but our high-efficiency, high-reliability solar panels are chosen by residential, commercial and utility-scale power plant customers worldwide. We are confident that our experience in developing our industry-leading technology with guaranteed performance will help the Solar Impulse airplane to successfully achieve its goal to circumnavigate the globe."
Discover more on: sunpower.com