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.
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 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, 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 Solar Powertree at Shtrunda Village at Kheda District, Gujarat, India is Installed for Providing water Desalination of 5000 ltr Per Day with help of Solar, which is consuming 90 Percent less space in ground compare to normal solar plant and installed by Imnagine Powertree Private Limited. Village in Gamij area falling in Kheda District. The Water Power Tree system, is an alternative that uses solar energy to convert contaminated water into clean, potable water that is fit for drinking. The state of the art self-sustainable “Water PowerTree” to provide pure and clean drinking water to 4000 villagers of Shatrunda Village was inaugurated during the recently concluded Swachhta Pakhwada. The solar-powered RO system, Water Powertree, can operate in the remote areas to filter water and does so at a fraction of the cost of conventionally powered systems. This innovative initiative was successfully executed by Imagine PowerTree Pvt. Ltd.. The people of Shatrunda, Kheda had been drinking water marked at 1600 TDS since quite a few years that affected their health. This initiative, today, puts an end to their problems, by making available 4000 litres of clean and self-sustaining drinking water daily, containing only 150 TDS; directly improving their health and quality of life.
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 solar trees and structures which have been adapted 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
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.
