International.
Following the success of the solar aircraft called Solar Impulse 2, which used Covestro coatings, the company is now supporting a related new initiative : it will become the first member of the International Committee on Clean Technology (ICCT).
Solar Impulse's two founders and pilots, Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg from Switzerland, established this committee to continue the legacy of their project. They also want to continue to demonstrate what is possible with modern materials and efficient technologies.
Beginning in 2017, Covestro will serve on the board of the Solar Impulse Foundation, thus sharing responsibility for the new ICCT. The company has been part of Solar Impulse since the beginning and has been a partner for the past six years. The effort would not have been possible without the high-tech materials the company provided to the ultra-light aircraft, including a special polyurethane foam that made the cabin especially light and also provides optimal insulation against heat and cold.
The solar plane recently landed in Abu Dhabi, returning to the airport from which it began its journey about 16 months before completing the first manned round-the-world flight without a single drop of fuel. Before and during the flight, the men behind the Solar Impulse had already persuaded 400 institutions and organizations wishing to be part of the cause to join the #futureisclean initiative. The new committee seeks to continue the work of the initiative to work as a non-governmental organization to encourage businesses as well as individuals around the world to work for a clean future.
