UN chief congratulates solar-powered plane project

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon on Monday congratulated the project of Solar Impulse 2, a Swiss-made solar-powered aircraft which took off earlier in the day in a first attempt to fly around the world without a drop of fuel.

In a statement issued here by his spokesperson, Ban wished the project every success in its historic attempt.

"We take inspiration from their example and efforts to harness the power of multilateralism to address climate change and to inspire the world to achieve sustainable development through innovating sustainable energy and renewable energy," the statement said.

"With their daring and determination, we can all fly into a new sustainable future," it added.

Dubbed "Solar Impulse 2," the plane successfully took off on Monday morning in Abu Dhabi. It has more than 17,000 solar cells on the wings to provide power for its four electric motors, and is expected to finish a 35,000 km trip within five months.

Two pilots from Switzerland will take turns to pilot the aircraft to visit India, China and the United States before flying back to Abu Dhabi through South Europe or North Africa.

This is the first attempt of human beings to fly a plane day and night without consuming conventional fossil fuels on a round- the-world tour. Endite