The hunger for newer technologies is suffusing humanity with energy innovations, however, we’re witnessing a fresh tendency that encompasses a call to nature, even in design and concept. Treading on the same line, Solar Botanic Ltd. suggests a solution to the present energy crisis and seeks to provide the natural landscapes with an enhanced visual appeal too. It introduces fake plastic trees capable of generating solar power, thanks to numerous power-generating nanoleaves present on the leaves and branches that produce electricity.
Actually, Solar Botanic isn’t the first company to think of this, as UC San Diego has already pioneered solar panels with trunks nearly a year ago.
What makes NANOLEAF work?
Solar Botanic calls it the biomimicry concept wherein trees, impersonating real flora, have en suited Nanoleaves. These are a combination of Nano photovoltaic, Nanothermovoltaic and Nanopiezo generators. In addition, various layers make leaves utilize wind and solar energy, viz.
1) Leaf’s Petiole: Tiny piezoelectric nanogenerators convert wind’s kinetic energy into electricity.
2) Second layer: Converts solar heat into electricity by the use of thermoelectric.
3) Photovoltaic layer: Converts light from the sun into electricity.
Capable of revolutionizing the solar industry:
If this concept ever comes to existence, a single tree with a 20 feet (approx. 6 meter) solar canopy would be capable of generating enough power i.e. 2000 and 12,000 kWh per year, for an average home. Looking at a wider picture, a forest could go on to energize an entire locality. An unremitting operation over two-decade could produce 120,000 kilowatt-hours of energy.
Eventually, it might just be an initiation to a greener planet where you could see green parking lots or tree-studded highways touting self-reliant recharging facilities.