At Airbus, we are working to use this alternative renewable energy source to power high-endurance stratospheric flight. The sun's rays bathe our planet with vast amounts of energy – approximately 885 million terawatt hours every year. Our advances in solar cell technology enable unmanned aerial. Solar-powered aircraft are electric aircraft that can be an airplane, blimp, or airship and use either a battery or hydrogen to store the energy produced by the solar cells and use that energy at night when the sun isn't shining. These energy needs continue to grow as air travel expands, with global passenger numbers expected to double by 2040. Designed by Calin Gologan and German company Elektra Solar GmbH, this revolutionary aircraft is daring and finely engineered. From the optimisation of. The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) analyzed the trajectory of different solar plane technologies and prototypes and said that standards are currently under development to ensure appropriate safety and performance. A handful of aviation pioneers are breathing life into solar plane.