Covestro, the former MaterialScience division of chemical giant Bayer, has announced that it is extending its sponsorship with Solar Impulse, the first aircraft able to fly day and night without fuel being propelled solely by the sun's energy. The partnership will now continue until the end of 2018.
Covestro has been a Solar Impulse project partner since 2010 and its official technical partner. The company was responsible for the design and construction of the Si2 plane's cockpit which uses advanced polyurethane and polycarbonate systems and reduces the plane's weight while ensuring protection for the pilot.
Covestro is also supporting Solar Impulse's ‘Future is Clean' initiative.
Richard Northcote, Chief Sustainability Officer at Covestro said: “Sustainability sits at the heart of our business strategy. This renewed commitment to Solar Impulse includes our role as one of the leading sponsors for the cross-America leg of the round the world journey, which will recommence in Spring 2016. As more consumers seek energy-efficient products and governments start to implement the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals in legislation, Solar Impulse will play a huge role in showing the world how the technology that exists today can contribute to achieving what many believed was impossible.”
Covestro states that technology developed for Solar Impulse is already used in everyday products in the automotive and refrigeration sectors.