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comment Students Design Sustainable Blimp
Last month at the Paris Air Show in Le Bourget, students revealed a design for the world’s first solar-powered blimp, Nephelios. The creative and eco-friendly aircraft embodies the latest in technology with semi-flexible photovoltaic panels that collect solar energy to drive an electric motor, located behind the steering pod which is equipped with two twin-bladed propellers.
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The machine, measuring 72 feet long and with an average speed of 25 mph, is set to cross the English Channel in late August. It will be the first manned solar-powered airship of its kind.
The collaborative project was conceived by engineering and business students from ESSEC Business School the Institut National des Sciences Appliquées, the Ecole Nationale Supérieure d’Arts et Métiers and the Ecole Polytechnique Féminine.
GreenSource interviewed Arnaud Vaillant, an MBA student at ESSEC Business School, who is working on Nephelios.
GreenSource: What was the inspiration behind the design?
Arnaud Vaillant: Two engineering students, Aloun Vangkeosay and Thomas Raphaël, started their own project. Because they shared a strong interest in airships, they decided to look for inspiration in this field. They came up with the idea of using solar energy to create a brand new aircraft. Airships are the only aircrafts that can use solar energy because they have more surface area and need less energy than others.
GS: Where will Nephelios go from here?
AV: After the English Channel, our objective is to participate in the World Sky Race, an airship race around the world organized with the support of UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). We hope to build a bigger craft to cross the Atlantic Ocean and eventually be the first around the world using solar energy.
We also think there will be a market for this kind of airship when the technology becomes more reliable, especially for aerial observation, aerial advertising, and tourism.
GS: Why is this an important design with regard to current environmental issues?
AV: First, [by building the solar powered aircraft] we communicate about sustainable development issues and renewable energy, especially in the aeronautic industry. We demonstrate that there is room for non-polluting aircrafts. This will encourage those who are working in that industry and will allow for new projects, discoveries, and innovations.
Long term, our airships could replace helicopters and planes for some missions, which would greatly reduce emissions.
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