flower-shaped solar panels are sprouting up across america

the smartflower all-in-one solar energy system gives flower power a literal sense with its botanical-influenced solar panels that are sprouting up across america. the ‘plug-&-play’ home applicance, dubbed the smartflower POP, is a photovoltaic system that takes the form of a flower, with solar panel ‘petals’ that automatically unfurl when the sun rises in the morning. the device directs it’s 18 M2 solar modular fan towards the sun and begins producing electricity to power your hot shower, coffee machine, and breakfast radio. thanks to dual-axle sun tracking, the fan mores reliably along with the sun throughout the day which allows the module to produce 40 X more energy that a static solar device.

inspired by the shape of a sunflower, the smartflowerPOP produces between 3,400 and 6,200 KWH per year, which completely covers the average electricity consumption of a household in central europe. ‘nature provided us with our inspiration, as with so many innovations,’ explains alexander swatek, smartflower CEO. ‘the sunflower uses solar energy more efficiently than almost any other plant, so it seemed a fitting inspiration for a device designed to enable more people than before to produce their own clean power for their home.’

once upon a time a concept, now the smartflower has been realised and is being installed at various locations across america. the kinetic all-in-one system, which can be delivered, assembled, and installed in just a few hours, is popular in open spaces and is also electric vehicle-compatible thanks to easy integration with external EV charging stations. the original smartflower base model is a fully integrated photovoltaic system meant for residential use that comes in eight different colors whilst a larger model—the smartflower plus—offers an integrated battery storage system that lets you store solar energy.

smartflower at the sony center in berlin

it seems companies are moving away from solar panels whose bulky installation make them something unappealing. in addition to smartflower’s decorative addition to the market, companies like sistine solar, forward and tesla, are introducing low-profile options designed to be concealed within the roofing of the house.