A solar tree is a structure incorporating solar energy technology on a single pillar, like a tree trunk. It may be a solar artwork or a functional power generator.
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Intent and Context
Solar trees are intended to bring visibility to solar technology and to enhance the landscape and architecture they complement, usually in a commercial or public context. An objective of many solar tree installations is to promote awareness, understanding, and adoption of renewable energy. They are not typically used as a primary source of energy for a property--that role is accomplished by rooftop solar systems. Solar trees are complementary to rooftop solar systems, or other green building measures, symbolizing these larger investments and their environmental benefit.
Environmental Benefits Of Solar Energy Video
Benefits of solar tree
Solar trees may build awareness and interest in solar technology and also provide shade and meeting places.
Origin and Progress of solar tree
Unique sculptural creations for a single sites began to appear in 1998 (e.g., the 7 kW tree in Gleisdorf, Austria) or earlier. A number of variants of solar trees have been conceived, not all of them realized in installations. Locations have included roadways, public areas in cities, schools and universities, office buildings, science museums, and more. Recently, designers and manufacturers have introduced solar trees as products, designed to deliver the benefits of solar trees in a repeatable way to more places. Examples include Ross Lovegrove's solar tree which incorporated seating, lighting, and circular groupings of photovoltaic cells, Envision Solar solar parking canopy specifically trademarked Solar Tree, and Spotlight Solar's line of architectural structures and most recently CSIR's Solar Power Tree from India.
Examples of solar tree
Example 1: Original Solar Tree Artworks
Example 2: Ross Lovegrove's Solar Tree
Example 3: Spotlight Solar structures
Example 4: CSIR's Solar Power Tree
Example 5: Solar Power Tree Artifact
Further interpretations
The Strawberry Tree, invented by the Serbian company Strawberry Energy, is a variation of the Solar Tree in that it is specifically designed to recharge mobile devices. The company won the Sustainable Energy Week 2011" competition for its revolutionary contribution.
There is a distinction to be made between organically inspired solo r trees and structures which have been adopted to create energy efficient parking lots. Companies such as General Electric have installed solar panels in car parking lots to collect solar energy and protect vehicles from sun damage. These car sheltering solar devices differ from artistic Solar Trees in that they have no organic aesthetic. In contrast to the field of solar artwork, they would more appropriately be dubbed elevated solar panels.
The Solar Tree Foundation
Rein Triefeldt is a solar environmentalist artist that has also begun to construct solar trees. He is one of the founders and the current president of the Solar Tree Foundation which began in 2008.
The Solar Tree Foundation designs programs for elementary school students to show them the creative process for constructing a Solar Tree in order to educate a broad audience on the environmental and technological material. It's also designed with the intention of instilling an appreciation for artistic aesthetics interpreted through sculptures as a medium of expression. This is performed by online lectures and webcams in which the students can engage with the architects and see the construction process in real time. Triefeldt believes that his Solar Trees will help preserve natural trees in the long run.
The latest solar tree constructed by the Solar Tree Foundation was erected for North Hillsborough Elementary School in Hillsborough California. At peak efficiency, the 10,000 lb Solar Tree is claimed to produce 20,000 watts of energy per day.
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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