Commercial planes are not solar-powered primarily due to the low energy density of solar radiation compared to the immense power requirements of flight. A standard Boeing 787 requires roughly 100 megawatts of power for takeoff, while even the most efficient solar panels in 2026 can only generate about 200–250 watts per square meter. To power a large jet, the wings would need to be miles long to capture enough sunlight. Furthermore, solar panels add significant weight, and the energy storage needed (batteries) to keep the plane flying at night or through thick cloud cover is currently too heavy for long-haul aviation. While experimental aircraft like Solar Impulse 2 have circumnavigated the globe, they are extremely light, slow, and can only carry one or two people. The current technological focus in 2026 has shifted more toward Hydrogen-electric propulsion and Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF), which offer much higher energy-to-weight ratios than solar-charged batteries, making them far more viable for the massive thrust needed to move hundreds of passengers across oceans.