Engineering giant, ABB, has joined the Solar Impulse team in its efforts to fly around the world in a plane powered solely by solar power.

Two Swiss pilots came up with the dream initially to fly a plane, day and night, powered only by the sun. Bertrand Piccard, who has already done a non-stop round-the-world trip in a hot air balloon is the first founder and chairman of Solar Impulse. André Borschberg, an engineer graduating from MIT is the CEO.

The Solar Impulse team consists of around 90 people – including 30 engineers, 25 technicians and 22 mission controllers and is supported financially and technologically by over a hundred partners and advisers.

In 2013 the original Solar Impulse plane flew across the USA, from California to New York landing on July 6^th 2013. In 2012, the plane was the first fully solar-powered plane to complete an intercontinental flight from Switzerland to Morocco – over 6000kms!

Later today, the company is set to unveil the ‘Solar Impulse 2’ which is going to be the first solar powered plane to circumnavigate the world in 2015! The journey will take between 4 and 6 days to complete. It is said to have a wingspan of 72 metres, incorporate 17,000 solar cells and weigh 2.3 tonnes. The new cockpit will allow the pilots to fully recline on the journey. The plane will also be able to fly in overcast and raining weather.

Piccard has said, “It was a personal dream to have ABB joining our family of partners, as we have exactly the same goal of improving the world by reaching more energy efficiency and saving natural resources of our planet.”

ABB CEO Ulrich Spiesshofer said, “This partnership brings together two Swiss-based global leaders that are passionate about pushing the boundaries of technology and innovation to achieve a better world.”

“After years of design, complex simulations and test flights with the first prototype, Solar Impulse 2 will be presented to our partners, friends and media before undertaking, in 2015, the ultimate technological and symbolic adventure of flying around the world without fuel, only powered by the sun,” Solar Impulse officials said in a statement.

See the Solar Impulse website for a live cast of the announcement later today (3pm Switzerland time) as well as further information on the original Solar Impulse plane and Solar Impulse 2.