We’ve got some wonderful news in store for you! If you’re not living in California but want experience some of the first Across America events, a live streaming of an educational conference is going to take place next week open to all those that are interested, on Friday April 19^th at 09:00am PDT (UTC-8), with the presence of Solar Impulse’s Co-Founders and Pilots.

And for those you that live in the Bay Area: we were able to organize the open house on April 20^th of HB-SIA directly at the impressive Moffett Airfield hangar! Don’t miss this chance! Bring your friends and family to see this flying laboratory with their own eyes!

For these two abovementioned events you will find all the information you need here below:

Live streaming of Stanford University’s Panel Events & Discussions with Solar Impulse’s Founders and Pilots!

Save the date: Friday April 19^th

Where: Directly from your personal computer!

What: Stanford University Panel Events & Discussions

How: Let's meet online on our website. You will find a direct link on our homepage at 09:00am PDT (UTC-8)

Open House: Come See the Solar Airplane with your Own Eyes!

Save the date: Saturday April 20^th

Where: Moffett Airfield at NASA’s Ames Research Center

What: Public visits of Solar Impulse’s HB-SIA solar airplane

How? Just click here and sign-in for a time slot – but beware, spaces are limited for security reasons and only registered people will be able to access the premises.

During this year’s “Climate Pioneers” event, 1’600 presented the projects they’ve developed for a cleaner and more sustainable planet. The event took place in Zürich’s new Umwelt Arena (Environment Arena), an exhibition space dedicated to topics related to sustainability, renewable energy, mobility, nature and living. André and Bertrand are both patrons of the Climate Pioneers program, using Solar Impulse as an inspiration. 

Launched in 2010 by Swisscom in partnership with Solar Impulse and myclimate, Climate Pioneers is an initiative designed to engage students from preschool to High School in today’s environmental issues while raising awareness about the potential risks of climate change. There are currently 6’330 young climate pioneers in Switzerland who have initiated 276 projects so far.

This year it was Bertrand that met with all the young pioneers between the ages of 7-16 encouraging them to strive to achieve the impossible – an objective he had set for himself at the tender age of 11. It was a moving and encouraging experience to see today’s youth concerned about our future. The excitement was high and, after an inspirational presentation, hundreds of little hands were raised eager to have their questions answered.

“I always asked myself what it felt like to be a rock star. Now I know! 1’600 students were gathered by Swisscom to hear discussions about the environment during the Climate Pioneers event. They absorbed Solar Impulse’s message with the same passion as if it were a rock concert! The way they welcomed me onstage could do nothing more than give me shivers of joy, but it especially offered me hope for the future…” Bertrand didn’t miss the chance to share his enthusiasm: when the first rhythmic beats resounded throughout the hall, Solar Impulse’s visionary and founder let loose into a few carefree dance moves surrounded by the swarm of little pioneers.

Investing in renewable energies is contagious, or at least what’s happening to the schools in the Maldives make it seem so. Solar Impulse has been in touch with Mr. Odon Sanchez, a young passionate physics and math teacher from Billabong High International School Maldives, since 2011. It all started thanks to his interest in the Solar Impulse project and his desire to educate his students about renewable energy and solar power was obviously a success, as you’ll read below.

He introduced the project to the students and they all agreed to raise $10 each to personalize a solar cell on HB-SIA's wings and donate to the Solar Impulse project, an option through Solar Impulse's Supporters Program. Eighteen of them decided to volunteer (seventeen from grade 10 and one from grade 9) and André and Bertrand sent a letter of encouragement to the class thanking them for their enthusiasm and inciting them to motivate others to be pioneers like themselves.

Once all the money was collected and the school was ready to purchase solar cell n° 731, Solar Impulse decided to offer it as a gift to the motivated youth so that they would use the collected money to invest in some local renewable energy projects. Mr. Sanchez got together with the students and they all agreed to try and install solar panels on their school’s roof.

On July 6, 2012, Billabong High International School and Wirsol Renewable Energy Maldives signed an agreement to install 100 kW of solar panels, becoming the first school in the Maldives where over half of the energy consumption will be from solar power. The panels will be installed this autumn.

What is most incredible is that these youth’s pioneering spirit truly is contagious: four other schools have also contacted Wirsol Renewable Energy Maldives to install panels on their roofs as well. We’re all excited about this project and eager to see the photos of the brand new photovoltaic panels shining on Billabong’s Maldivian roof!

Good job to all the students and to their inspiring professor!

(Signing of the agreement between the school and Wirsol Renewable Energy Maldives. From left to right: Stefan Riel of Wirsol, Ibrahim Nashid of Renewable Energy Maldives and Odon Sanchez, professor at Billabong High International School Maldives).