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Louis Palmer caused a stir in 2007 when he drove around the world in his “solar taxi” (click here for the documentary). At the time, he wanted to prove that it was possible to travel around the world in a solar-powered car. He built his own vehicle and proved it – as the first.

15 years later, the Swiss environmentalist’s next project is underway. He and his team travel around the planet in the “Solar Butterfly”. The “Butterfly” is a trailer that serves as a mobile home, but also as an event stand. The solar panels provide all the energy for the car pulling it.

The mission: to publicize projects that help us fight climate change. The “Butterfly” is currently traveling through Europe. From 2023, it will travel around the world on a route of about 100,000 kilometers. We spoke to creator Louis Palmer about his project.

Louis Palmer, your «Sun Butterfly» is currently in Spain and has the last days of its four-month journey to Europe. Is everything going according to plan?
Louis Palmer: Yes all good. We were due to arrive back in Lucerne on November 16 at 2:30 PM. Then there is an associated event.

The vehicle is called «Solar Butterfly». Why actually?
The trailer can fold out the side walls so that the solar panels get more sun. That looks a bit like a butterfly. He can also be a role model for humanity. We need a transformation similar to that of caterpillar to butterfly. And we knew: if you want to attract attention, the vehicle has to stand out. I think we succeeded in that.

You drove around the world in a solar car in 2007/2008 to prove that this is possible. What is the goal of the current project?
For the tenth anniversary of the Paris Climate Agreement on December 12, 2025, we want to present 1000 projects from companies and pioneers that offer solutions for climate change. The solutions to climate change are here. On all fronts. Except for aviation.

Can you give us an example?
In Switzerland, the straw house is located in Laax. A few meters above Larnags (near Laax). Except for the foundation, no cement was used, only straw and wood. The walls are just over a meter thick. It does not require heating, only has a small wood burning stove for emergencies.

But probably not affordable.
It only costs a little more than a normal house. There are no heating costs for this. It would be radical to build entire villages in this way, but it is doable.​

What was one of the most impressive projects you met?
In Finland there is a house with a sand battery. It does not store electricity, but heat. It is a tower about two stories high, filled with sand. The sand is heated by solar and wind energy and reaches about 500 degrees in October. This heats the adjacent building until April. Totally low-tech actually, but it works.

Why are such solutions not being implemented more often?
I keep wondering that. Why not do that more often? Open your eyes. There are pioneers, but they need attention. The solutions are there, but they haven’t entered our minds yet. We already had the options.

What is the most depressing thing about your job?
We don’t get any further. Why does the CO₂ curve keep rising? Why not make it work to save our own future? We may be too distracted and not realize that our house is on fire. If we continue like this, it will be 5.5 degrees warmer in Switzerland by the end of the century. That means: Zurich would then be Madrid.

And what would be the consequences?
The vegetation collapses, just like the animal world. It would affect everything. That would be an inferno. But it wouldn’t be necessary, the solutions are there.

But these solutions are often expensive.
No, these are not expensive utopias. We have to get out of the comfort zone. Using these technologies makes life better, we can save money in the long run and we also have less work to do.

Where do you see bright spots?
The industry is on the right track. Of course, they also have instructions from the Paris climate agreement. Fortunately, there is change in the auto industry. This is a good start.

Is the Federal Council’s net-zero target by 2050 possible?
Yes that is possible. The technologies are there. But society must open its eyes. We need to stop thinking it hurts immediately. We need to think about our children.​

I read that as a child you already had your most important experience of being committed to the environment.
That’s how it is. I had a great teacher in Kriens in 5th grade. In 1982 he already talked about global warming. Even then I had the dream of driving around the world in a car. He said you will have three problems: 1. Running out of gas, 2. There will be wars over oil, 3. Climate change. That was 40 years ago.

What happened next?
In 2003 I decided: I’m just going to build my own solar car and drive it around the world to show everyone that it’s possible. I quickly found sponsors and was able to do it with my “solar taxi”. I was a teacher in Lucerne and was on CNN five times. In 2011, the UN awarded me the “Champion of the Earth” prize.

What drives you?
Once you work in this field, you meet a lot of good people. It’s just great fun for me too. All developments are very interesting. And I don’t want to be part of the problem, I want to be part of the solution.