Posts Tagged ‘Solar cell’

With the advancement of solar electric collectors, the world is now seeing real possible usage of passive solar devices in the collection of energy, but there has always been the downside: nobody wants big ugly solar panels hanging off of their home or business!  The Sustainably Minded Interactive Technology (SMIT) group, inventors of Solar Ivy, is making that an issue of the past, with solar collectors made to mimic natural ivy.

Their new combination of photovoltaic and piezoelectric technology has allowed them to shrink their cells and still keep the power generation fairly high.  These small cells are mounted on a leaf-shaped base and mounted over a nearly invisible electric grid, allowing the design to look very much like a naturally growing plant.  The cells, while generating as much as 4 watts each, also provide shade to the surface they cover, reducing solar heating and therefore reducing the power needed for interior cooling as well.

Read more: What’s That Growing On Your House? Solar Energy!