As part of its worldwide tour, the revolutionary SolarButterfly, landed in Bloemfontein this week. The 30-foot-long tinyhouse is shaped like a giant butterfly – thus the name – and is used to charge a Tesla Model X using more than 80m² of solar panels.
Its occupants, Martin Baumeler and Walter Koeppel, both from Switzerland, have travelled the world in search of 1000 climate pioneers in a bid to lead the charge for a greener future, including an almost 4000km journey through South Africa.
Their journey led them to the City of Roses, where the pair demonstrated the SolarButterfly’s capabilities to students at the Central University of Technology in Bloemfontein, and held discussions regarding the team’s mission and the possibility of a more sustainable future.
“The butterfly symbolises society’s transition away from fossil fuels towards clean technologies,” explained Koeppel during his presentation.
He further explained that the route, which started on 23 May 2022 in Geneva Switzerland – at the United Nations headquarters – and ends in Belem, Brazil, in November 2025, is symbolic of their mission. “The SolarButterfly will visit five continents, finishing at the UN World Climate Change Conference, 10 years after the Paris Climate Agreement.”
The project was initiated by Louis Palmer, a Swiss man who became the first person to circumnavigate the earth in a solar-powered car. “While global warming is the biggest threat for the future of humanity, all solutions already exist,” he explained. “We want to show that lots of fantastic clean solutions are available that create jobs and save money. A transition of our society, like a butterfly, is very well possible!”
Baumeler gave Bloemfontein Courant a walkabout of the SolarButterfly, detailing how the invention has been used during its journey.
“The SolarButterfly is a trailer with solar panels that charge an electric vehicle, which in turn pulls the trailer,” he explained.
“In the trailer there is a kitchen, where we cook meals, there is a living room behind the kitchen, and also a room with two bunkbeds. We also have a technical room with a small inverter and battery for the kitchen and lights, and even a bathroom with a shower.”
Baumeler further told the publication: “We want to spread the message that it is possible to fight climate change and change the way we live.”
Follow the SolarButterfly project on their world tour on social media.
https://www.instagram.com/solarbutterflytour/
https://www.facebook.com/solarbutterflytour/
Warren Hawkins
warren@mahareng.co.za
