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Does anyone doubt that it’s possible to build an airplane, powered only by the sun, that can circumnavigate the globe?
In this age of technological marvels, probably not.
Still, the Solar Impulse 2, bound for Oahu, can’t help but impress. A slender craft with a vast wingspan, four nearly silent electric engines and the ability to fly day and night, the plane so far has traveled from Abu Dhabi (one of the world’s top oil and gas producers) to Nagoya, Japan, to demonstrate that human ingenuity and willpower can overcome our dependence on fossil fuels.
Given that Hawaii has a similar goal — getting 100 percent of its electrical power from renewables by 2045 — seeing the plane land at Kalaeloa Airport should serve as an inspiration.
If it gets here, that is. Weather grounded the plane in Nagoya shortly after it took off from China for its 5,000-mile journey to Oahu, the seventh and riskiest leg of its adventure. We hope to see the Solar Impulse soon, and safe and sound.