From The Workbench - Alternative + Renewable Energy Blog Valuable information for do-it-yourselfers interested in the latest in alternative + renewable energy

It is almost the weekend my good friends, and for that, you should be rejoicing!  Another reason to rejoice, is when you find news about alternative energy products, projects, or ideas that gain worldwide notariety.  How about the breaking of an unofficial world record using only solar energy?  Yeah, awesome.

Here’s the jist of what happened:  “A new but unofficial world record for the longest continuous unmanned flight has been set up by British-built spy plane. The aircraft, which was powered by solar panels and a rechargeable battery at night, remained in air for approximately 82 hours and 37 minutes (three and a half days).”

82 hours and 37 minutes using nothing but solar powered energy!  Amazing!  What is even more impressive, and more amazing, to me, is the fact that the designers and engineers behind the plane believe that in the near future, a plane capable of staying in the air for “weeks or months” will be entirely possible, and available.

Now, to just tweak this idea and somehow put it to use on arguably the largest fuel consumers on the planet, major airlines.  Wouldn’t that be something, having every commercial flight across the world powered by the sun.  Ahh, one can dream.