The EU backs Piccard’s new project and his hydrogen-powered aeroplane
Keystone-SDA
Swiss aviator and renewable energy pioneer Bertrand Piccard has secured the support of the European Commission to fly around the world in a hydrogen-powered aeroplane, non-stop and with zero CO₂ emissions.
The new project by the Swiss explorer, called Climate Impulse, has received official endorsement from Brussels – a symbolic recognition that does not involve funding but which strengthens its credibility on the international stage.
According to a statement from the initiative’s organisers, the EC regards the project as a significant contribution to climate action, technological innovation and energy sovereignty.
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“Hydrogen is a strategic sector and can become one of the driving forces behind the energy transition and the competitiveness of European industry,” said Stéphane Séjourné, EC vice-president. The aircraft, he added, “will fly the flag for Europe on the path to a CO₂-free world”.
New hopes for a sustainable future
The goal of Climate Impulse’s goal is to complete the first non-stop round-the-world flight by 2030 aboard an aircraft powered exclusively by green hydrogen – a clean fuel produced through the electrolysis of water using renewable energy sources such as solar, hydro, geothermal or wind power.
If successful, the endeavour will serve as a concrete demonstration of the potential of this technology, considered the cornerstone of the energy transition. The mission could play an important role in the decarbonisation of aviation, as well as in other sectors such as agriculture, the chemical industry and maritime transport.
Piccard is leading the project alongside French engineer Raphaël Dinelli, an expert in composite materials. In addition to the technological challenge, the initiative aims to demonstrate that solutions considered unfeasible today can become a reality through innovation.
“With Climate Impulse, we want to inspire new hope by making possible what many consider impossible,” said the Vaud-based explorer.
History of aerial exploits
The Swiss aviator is no stranger to taking on challenges that seem to push the boundaries of technology. The 68-year-old, a psychiatrist by training and a descendant of a family of famous explorers, has become a leading figure in the field of sustainable innovation thanks to his aeronautical exploits.
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Following in the footsteps of his grandfather Auguste Piccard, in 1999 he completed the first non-stop circumnavigation of the globe in a hot-air balloon alongside the British explorer Brian Jones.
Fifteen years later, between 2015 and 2016, he achieved another historic feat: a round-the-world flight in stages aboard Solar Impulse, an aeroplane powered exclusively by solar energy, taking turns at the controls with André Borschberg.
With Climate Impulse, Piccard now aims to open a new chapter in sustainable aviation. Rather than simply setting a world record, the project seeks to demonstrate that green hydrogen can be one of the key technologies for reducing emissions from air travel and accelerating the transition to a low-carbon economy.
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Translated from Italian, reviewed by an English Department journalist.
