Insights and news
60 year ago, on January 23rd 1960, my father conquered the 4th pole.The four poles of our planet, North and South, high and low, have always fascinated explorers. The Antarctic and the Arctic saw...
Where to find us at the world expo of innovations for the Planet?From January 30th to February 1st, the magnificent and iconic glass roof of the Grand Palais in Paris will host the “the...
How can we build a more sustainable and fair food system to feed the planet while preserving our environment? Fighting climate change is often associated with renewable energy: solar...
Not sure if being part of the 1000 solutions could be useful to your company? Should you take the time to apply? What are the benefits of the Solar Impulse Label? Here are a few arguments to...
This joint Opinion Editorial is written by Anne Rigail, Chief Executive Officer of Air France, and Bertrand Piccard, Chairman of the Solar Impulse Foundation. It was originally published in Le...
Circular economy, applied to the aeronautic industry “In nature nothing is lost, nothing is created, everything is transformed” once said Antoine Lavoisier, one of the...
This solution is plugged to industrial plants to turn waste heat into CO2-free electricity In order to meet the 1.5°C target of the Paris Agreement,...
In Brussels, SIF Experts gathered at the G-STIC 2019 for one more successful Assessment ChallengeThe Solar Impulse Foundation (SIF) Expert Assessment...
The aim of this partnership is to accelerate the implementation of economically and ecologically viable solutions in the aviation industry. Air France and the Solar Impulse Foundation are...
In two days, I have covered 778 kilometers, emitting nothing more than water vapor. I drove through two countries – France and Luxembourg – driving a hydrogen car, a standard Hyundai Nexo. I...
An easy, transparent way for companies to compensate carbon emissions. While reduction of our carbon emissions is imperative in order to meet the Paris Agreement and...
This solution can light interiors with no electricity. In the fight against climate change, the most efficient solutions are not necessarily the most complex ones....
The politicians and industry leaders offended by Greta Thunberg's call for us to “listen to the science” are not just responsible for the inaction in the face of the climate crisis, they...
Pour la plupart, les politiciens et industriels qui s’offusquent du discours de Greta ne sont pas seulement les responsables de l’immobilisme face à la crise climatique. Ils sont aussi ceux...
For the first time, Lausanne hosted our Experts Challenge event. The Olympic Museum’s walls are covered with pictures of the greatest olympic athletes of all time: from Usain Bolt to...
A new way to grow leafy vegetables, reducing water consumption, carbon emissions with no pesticides. Food waste is not only one of the world’s biggest environmental...
C’était tellement évident : à force de négliger l’urgence des problèmes climatiques pour favoriser leurs idéologies personnelles, les partis politiques traditionnels allaient perdre la...
On October 16th, the world’s major players in the plastics industry will gather at K-Fair, “the world’s n°1 trade fair for plastics and rubber” in Düsseldorf, Germany. The event will be...
A solution to reduce waste. Every year, the world generates over 2 billion tonnes of municipal solid waste, mainly composed of food (44%), paper and cardboard (17%),...
The partnership between the two entities is part of a global effort from the world’s biggest luxury goods company to put protection of the environment at the core of its priorities, without...
A Swiss startup has developed a new technology capable of reducing both water and energy consumption. In most developed countries, people take access to water for...
The version of capitalism that has dominated global markets for the last half-century is being rightfully questioned as never before. Whilst over a billion people have been pulled out of...
This solution can drastically reduce both emission and noise pollution in ports.In 2000, the port of Gothenburg was home to a major technological breakthrough in the maritime industry. It was the...
With an entirely new process, from recycling, repairing and treating e-waste disposal, this project creates economic opportunities while protecting the environment. On...
Three years after its final landing in Abu Dhabi (UAE), Solar Impulse, the solar-powered airplane in which Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg flew around the world without a drop...
Three per cent. That is the contribution of the maritime sector to total global carbon emissions. It doesn’t sound all that much for a sector that ensures 90% of world trade and whose ships...
This solution offers an eco-friendly replacement for packaging for retailers and brand owners. The race to find alternatives to plastics is on. The packaging...
Dear President Macron, Excellencies,If I am here today in front of you, it is not because I flew around the world in a solar powered airplane but because I have proof that clean technologies exist...
The explorer and pilot of Solar Impulse has been selected by the French government as one of the representatives of civil society that will address the G7, calling for brave policies that will...
On August 26th, 2019, I will be addressing Heads of States and government officials at the 45th G7 summit, in Biarritz, France. This year's edition will focus on fighting inequality in its...
HomeStove uses waste heat to generate electricity for phone charging or small lights. When Alexander Drummond and Jonathan Cedar, two camping enthusiasts from NYC,...
This solution is safer, offers superior flight endurance, and can carry a larger relative load than conventional drones. Is it a plane? A helicopter? A balloon?...
A new generation of buildings designed to create financial, human and societal value. While residential buildings are mostly full during the evening and night,...
The Swedish cleantech company becomes the first Solar Impulse Efficient Solution to complete an IPO.“Passion is the greatest renewable energy source. Passion is something that can...
A solution to monitor food waste and help chefs adapt their food purchases. Have you ever felt that guilt at a restaurant when you leave your plate half full or...
This solution turns non-recycled plastic into insulation material. To successfully transition to a sustainable economy, we must move from linear to circular...
This new road is a solution to power road equipment in remote locations.As the world continues on its path to electrification, the energy needs will have doubled by the year 2050. The need for...
Some background on our labelling process and how we ensure its relevance.“Why did you decide to launch a label?” is a question that we get pretty often. And it’s a relevant one, too. After all,...
24 experts met in Munich to assess the solutions who applied for the Solar Impulse Efficient Solution Label. The result of the event will be 28 completed assessments. After the...
Good Tech Lab has decided to explore the frontiers of technology and system entrepreneurship and look at how innovation can help us fight the climate crisis.After 18 months of research,...
This two-seater electric plane, co-founded by Solar Impulse's Co-Founder, CEO and pilot André Borschberg, is a perfect example of how new technologies can help us transition to...
The Solar Impulse Foundation announced a new partnership with Schneider Electric, one of the world’s leading companies in Energy Management, Industrial Automation, and Services, through the...
The noose is tightening around the air transport industry and only airline companies can untie the knot. They would greatly benefit in the end by becoming actors rather than victims of change....
AgRHO S-Boost favors and optimizes water and nutrients absorption by the seed. In the world 33% of all the soils are...
WaveRoller is a device that converts the ocean wave energy into electricity. You have probably spent time watching and listening to the constant movement of waves breaking on the shore....
Interview avec Tony Estanguet, Président du comité d’organisation des JO de Paris 2024 Des événements tels que les Jeux Olympiques, la Coupe du Monde ou la Ligue des Champions attirent...
Interview with Tony Estanguet, President of the Organising Committee of the Paris 2024 Olympic GamesThis article is a translation of interview in french. Read the original...
This solution uses a new process and technology to make sleepers more efficient, reduce waste and create clean energy While innovation, design and technology has transformed most...
This year's World Environment Day is dedicated to one of the world's most pressing issue: air pollution. One morning in March 2015, Parisians woke up to a mysterious scene: the Eiffel Tower...
“Sport has the power to change the world” declared Nelson Mandela in his famous speech at the first Laureus World Sports Awards in Monaco in 2000. Sport has indeed played a major...
From May 27th to 29th, the world’s top clean energy decision-makers will gather in Vancouver for the 10th Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM10) and 4th Mission Innovation (MI-4).During 3...
A waterless toilet installation for isolated and water stressed areas. “This is a container of human waste” said Bill Gates while brandishing a beaker of poo, as...
Could we deal with our carbon emissions challenge by capturing them from industrial facilities or directly from the atmosphere? Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) has gained...
This electric motorcycle mixes mechanics tradition and technological innovation. For the transport sector - which accounted for 14% of global greenhouse gas...
Business solutions to protect our environment and promote inclusive prosperity exist. They simply need to be embraced and supported.This article was originally published by UNCTAD. See...
If you are at VivaTech, don't miss the opportunity to discover our labelled solutions, meet members of our staff and listen to Bertrand Piccard on stage. This week, the entire...
On May 14th 2019, in the Palace of Nations in Geneva, UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development) and the Solar Impulse Foundation will debate the role of start-ups in...
The Solar Impulse Foundation and the European Investment Bank (EIB) have signed a landmark agreement for the provision of financial advisory services to innovative environmental solutions...
The European project was built upon the premise of safeguarding peace by creating the European Coal and Steel Community. Coming as it did in the aftermath of WWII, Robert Schuman’s plan was...
Underwater turbines could provide renewable energy to off-grid communities who rely on fossil fuels. In most of the roughly 11’000 inhabited islands around the world, power supply is a big...
The Belgian region of Wallonia partners with the Solar Impulse Foundation to speed up the 1000 solutions challenge, bring Walloon cleantech solutions to the world and help the region...
Earth’s cornucopia of life has evolved over 550 million years. Along the way, five mass extinction events have caused serious setbacks to life on our planet. The fifth, which was caused by a...
Discovering individual animals, following their movements, identifying and locating animal and plant species, assessing their habitat, and preventing poaching are just a few examples...
This article is published in collaboration with World Economic ForumThe total number of animals has halved since the 1970s in what some scientists have termed the start of Earth’s...
Ambee helps citizens monitor pollution and take actions to avoid the most toxic areasWhat’s the issue?Invented in India to face an ever-increasing air pollution challenge, Ambee is...
This eco-driving coach can help reduce fuel consumption up to 10% What’s the issue?While many topics are still open for discussion, few doubts remain over the fact that cars pollute. First,...
Looking for new opportunities, giving companies the chance to scale, taking financial risks, supporting companies... Cleantech investors have a crucial role to play in the...
The Solar Impulse Efficient Solution Label is now part of the EuroQuity network, enabling its solutions to access an exclusive business partner and investor matching...
E-commerce is now part of our everyday lives. We buy pretty much anything in a matter of seconds with a simple click, and we expect purchases to arrive at our doorstep...
Drones, marketplaces, IoT and sensors, blockchain technologies, artificial intelligence… After having radically transformed our everyday lives, all these...
Today is the 108th International Women’s Day. This year’s theme is “Think Equal, Build Smart, Innovate for Change”, and strongly focuses on the importance of women involvement in climate...
Dear COP24 Negotiators,During these next couple of weeks, in Katowice, Poland, you will have to decide on measures urgently needed to ensure the future quality of life on earth for humanity....
The story behind Lactips is first and foremost about the encounter of two different worlds and two complementary people. Frédéric Prochazka, a researcher...
Guest Post — November 12, 2018
Guest Post : "Nature can help us tackle wastewater"
Written by Laetitia Mailhes
Microbiology is nature’s operating system. Through 21st-century technologies such as low-cost DNA sequencing, humans are beginning to understand the secret world of microbes and their potential to help solve our most pressing problem, including mediating humans’ conflicted relationship with our...
Interviews — November 09, 2018
"The fight against climate change is a moral issue", interview with...
Written by Tristan Lebleu - 3 min read
The effects of climate change on society, the economy and the environment are often mentioned in the future. However, climate change is already having a direct impact on many people, who are forced to flee the degradation of their environment. They are "climate refugees". For nearly 15 years, François Gemenne,...
News — October 31, 2018
What my father taught me...
Written by Bertrand Piccard
Most children grow up hearing their parents tell them fairy tales. In my case, it was rather stories about exploration. I was captivated and listened to my father’s accounts of the conquest of the poles, Mount Everest, space and the oceans’ depths. I discovered the stratospheric ascents of my grandfather...
1000 Solutions — October 29, 2018
Woodoo: wood is the new concrete
Written by Julie Conti
“If the 19th century was the age of iron, and the 20th the age of concrete... Then the 21st century will be the age of wood in construction” says Timothée Boitouzet CEO of Woodoo. Architect by profession, this French entrepreneur has replaced his pencils and blue prints by a lab coat to conceive an augmented...
1000 Solutions — October 19, 2018
Bound4Blue, rigid sails to make air the new fuel
Written by Tristan Lebleu
The Balueiro Segundo is a typical fishing vessel. Built in 2001, this bright red 40m long-liner, belongs to Orpagu (Organización de Palangreros Guardeses), a Spanish organization of longliners. Balueiro Segundo is about to get a radical change: at the end of the year, it will become...
1000 Solutions — October 15, 2018
PowerCorner, the power of sustainable mini-grids for rural villages
Written by Tristan Lebleu
Ketumbeine, a remote village in the northern Arusha region of Tanzania, is 36 kilometers away from the national grid. For years, the 800 inhabitants of Ketumbeine had no access to reliable, clean and safe energy, just like 38 million Tanzanians and still over 1.1 billion people across...
News — October 09, 2018
Bertrand Piccard replies to social media comments - Episode 2
Written by Chiara Cosenza
The series will be published regularly on Bertrand Piccard’s Social Media Channels (Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin) as well as on the Solar Impulse YouTube channel. We will not be able to reply to all the comments and questions but we will select a few of them on a regular basis.In the second episode of this...
1000 Solutions — October 08, 2018
Who are the 50 first labelled Solar Impulse Efficient Solutions?
Written by Tristan Lebleu
There is still some hope on limiting global warming to 1.5°C, stated a report from the IPCC issued today. It will take a change of “no documented historic precedent” of our economic model, but it can be done. If we don’t, the report outlines the devastating effects on our planet. Indeed, adding just half a...
1000 Solutions — October 05, 2018
Meet a solution: Sion, the solar-powered car
Written by Tristan Lebleu
The Sion’s main innovation lies in its 330 solar cells, which are integrated on the exterior of the car and capture the sun’s energy throughout the day to provide a boost of up to 30km per day. The solar cells generate a maximum power of 1,204 watts with 24 percent efficiency. As the...
1000 Solutions — September 28, 2018
How to reduce cow’s impact on climate ?
Written by Julie Conti
And things could get much worse in the coming years, as dairy milk and beef global production is increasing every year. Indeed, the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) & the FAO Agricultural Outlook 2017-2027 even projects a significant increase of 22% to the reference...
Guest Post — September 28, 2018
Guest post: "Energy efficiency for all"
Written by Fanyu Lin
Affordable energy efficient solutions for low income households.At present, rising material costs, land availability, a shortage of skilled workers and general construction industry inefficiencies impede both investment and innovation in affordable energy efficient solutions for the underserved and...
Guest Post — September 27, 2018
Guest post: "It's time to scale up the hydrogen economy"
Written by Pierre-Etienne Franc
This month’s inaugural Global Climate Action Summit in San Francisco brought together public and private players, large and small, from all over the world to "take ambition to the next level" in our collective efforts to protect the planet.Ambition and action are not just words. There is simply no other path to...
Interviews — September 14, 2018
"Antarctica is the memory of our planet", interview with Robert Swan
Written by Tristan Lebleu - 3 min read
You have been on countless expeditions to both Poles for the past 30 years. What have these expeditions taught you?Personally, these expeditions have taught me the importance of having dreams and hope. What I learnt by becoming the first person crazy enough to walk to both poles is that if you really do have...
News — September 13, 2018
The Solar Impulse Foundation and New Energy Nexus join forces to...
Written by Tristan Lebleu
“Thirty years ago, we had a chance to save the planet”.This powerful and tragic statement was made by Nathaniel Rich in a brilliant piece published this summer in The New York Times: Losing Earth: The Decade We Almost Stopped Climate Change. How frustrating to think that we could have...
News — September 07, 2018
Boyan Slat is launching System 001 of The Ocean Cleanup
Written by Julie Conti
In 2014, Boyan Slat raised 2.2 million USD to finance his idea of passive concentration system to catch and concentrate plastic pollution in the ocean using currents. This campaign remains to this day the biggest crowdfunding ever made for a non profit organization.The clever and simple concept of The Ocean...