Source: Time/Fabrice Coffrini

An experimental solar-powered plane landed safely Thursday after completing its first 24-hour test flight, proving that the aircraft can collect enough energy from the sun during the day to stay aloft all night. Pilot Andre Borschberg eased the Solar Impulse onto the runway at Payerne airfield about 30 miles southwest of the Swiss capital Bern at exactly 9 a.m. Thursday. The record feat completes seven years of planning and brings the Swiss-led project one step closer to its goal of circling the globe using only energy from the sun. “We achieved more than we wanted. Everybody is extremely happy,” Borschberg told reporters after landing. The team says it has now demonstrated that the single-seat plane can theoretically stay in the air indefinitely, recharging its depleted batteries using 12,000 solar cells and nothing but the rays of the sun during the day.

Source: Everything Long Beach

After being approved by the City Council last December, Long Beach’s first solar trash cans debuted at an installation ceremony on Wednesday. Three solar trash cans – installed in Downtown Long Beach, Belmont Shore and Bixby Knolls – are part of a pilot project that will last six months. “I am pleased our City, the Downtown Long Beach Associates and the distributor WAXIE have partnered to bring these bins to our City,” said 2nd District Councilmember Suja Lowenthal. “These solar trash bins are an innovative and sustainable approach to collecting trash and increasing recycling in the Downtown.” The solar-powered bins are both a trash compactor and collection unit which squeezes refuse to just 20 percent of its normal volume. The containers, which have the same blueprint as regular trash cans but can compact about 150 gallons of trash into a 32-gallon bin, are expected to reduce costs by requiring fewer trash collections and maintenance. The bins come side-by-side with recycling units to collect bottle, can and paper for recycling.