Solar tree

The solar tree blends art and solar energy technology in a sculptural expression. Solar trees are both artistic and functional clean energy machines. The term "solar tree" has been used to describe a variety of structures incorporating solar energy technology on a single pillar (like a tree trunk), and has become a generic term describing this category of aesthetic solar systems, within the larger realm of solar artwork.

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.

Solar trees deliver the following benefits:

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.

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

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.

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Wikipedia