The Latest: Solar plane pilot speaks with UN leader

Piccard said his flight is showing that solar energy is the pathway to a future with reduced carbon emissions and a safer, cleaner planet Earth.

The project's website says the Solar Impulse 2 aircraft is nearly 23 hours into a three-day flight over the Pacific with solo pilot Bertrand Piccard at the controls.

The aircraft's wings are covered with solar cells to take energy from the sun to power the motors turning its propellers.