Ten Weird and Wonderful Ways Solar Energy is Being Utilised
There’s no doubt — solar power is an awesome way of harnessing free energy from the sun, but did you know there are really unique ways to utilise solar energy? Below are some really cool examples of how the sun’s rays are utilised in amazing ways.
10. Solar paint!
Nifty boffins the world over have been researching how to generate solar energy from paint for ages and some are starting to crack the formula. In fact, there are three kinds of different solar paints being developed — firstly, a solar paint that generates energy from water vapour. A team of researchers of Australia’s own RMIT is developing a solar paint that absorbs moisture from the air and uses solar energy to break the water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen — the hydrogen produced can be then used to produce clean energy. Next up — the brains at the University of Toronto are busy developing ‘Quantum Dot’ aka photovoltaic paint, which is basically paint filled with nanoscale semiconductors that can capture light and turn it into an electric current. Filling out the pack is Perovskite Solar Paint — Perovskite materials are a bi-product of a calcium titanium oxide mineral. The coolest thing about these materials is that they can take liquid form — hence making them ideal for solar paint!
9. Solar Smart Bins!
Imagine a world in which public bins are not only powered by solar energy but provide Wi-Fi and smartphone charging docks? Well, imagine no more! These super solar smart bins exist, right here in Australia! Solar panels on the bins charge a compactor that crunches down rubbish to optimise space, while also powering a Wi-Fi system and charging docks for smartphones! Keep an eye out for solar smart bins around about the nation as they slowly take the place of regular, old boring bins here, there and everywhere. The future is now!
8. Solar Beehives!
The world of bee-related news (and the usual world) is abuzz with developments into solar heated and cooled beehives. Bees have taken a big hit over the past few years with numbers declining the world over — so, in steps solar to save the day! Solar-powered beehives are being developed to help both heat and cool hives to better produce honey and create better environments for the bees themselves. By heating and cooling hives at crucial times of day, solar power is not only keeping the bees’ cosy but also reducing the likelihood of unwelcome bad bugs and parasites away from the hives. Go, Solar!
7. Solar Trees!
That’s right! Solar-powered trees! A London-based outfit of green genius’ have developed solar-powered trees that can be ‘planted’ (installed) on your property with the scientifically designed leaves, made of mini solar panels, soaking up the sun’s glorious rays — much like real trees, but instead of creating photosynthesis, these photovoltaic tendrils convert solar energy into useable DC energy for your appliances or snazzy electric cars — pretty cool, huh? Not only do the high-tech nano-leaves create energy but the boughs and branches of the trees produce kinetic energy too! Double renewable energy whammy!
6. Solar Powered Security System!
Before you assume this is an example of straight-up boring security system plugging, keep reading because this specific solar security system was designed by an 11-year-old kid in Kenya to deter lions from his farm! Growl! Richard Turere of Kenya, a keen engineer, was faced with a big issue to fix — local lions were regularly targeting his farm and poaching cows and goats and such. Rather than hunt or injure the lions, Richard was keen to deter them with the power of, you guessed it, solar! He used his nous and skills to rig up a motion sensor using bits and pieces around the farm, including flashlight parts and a solar generator. The solar security system was such a success, Richard was commissioned to create more systems for neighbouring farms! Go Richard and Go Solar! (and go away lions!)
5. Solar Powered Clothes!
Trust those tech-super-savvy Japanese developers to take solar to the next level of cloth-based science! The group have created a super-thin organic solar-powered cell that can be transferred onto cloth like a regular t-shirt print to generate renewable power for wearable tech — wherever you at! Potentials for the ground-breaking cloth science are massive with eyes on producing tents with the technology to better equip campers with survival in the wilds. Japanese fashion is cool anyways, now it just got future-boomed with solar!
4. Solar Powered Ski Lift
Aren’t those Swiss Science Guys oh-so progressive? They love their skiing, so it made pretty good sense for developers to come up with the world’s first solar-powered ski lift! The Swiss town of Tenna is the place to be if you like the ski action and want to further reduce your carbon footprint. The ski lift consists of 80 solar panels built into a 450-metre cable car system with the capacity to drag 800 keen skiers per hour up the pristine Swiss slopes so dudes can get all gnarly and cut sick with sweet ski moves. The system feed power back to the local power supply so it can operate through the night for nocturnally inclined decliners!
3. Solar-Powered Train Tunnels!
What? ‘How does a solar-powered train tunnel do any good around here?’ I hear you ask! The power trains, yo! The sun makes them go really fast! No, not on the Joondalup line but in Belgium where those Euro Boffins have installed 16,000 solar panels on a long train tunnel which produce enough clean, green energy to power 4000 trains! Now, that’s a lot of trains, right? Agreed, Belgium isn’t the sunniest place in the world — but full points for the initiative!
2. Solar Powered Stadium!
Those wily and inventive Taiwanese engineers are up to new solar tricks — this time on a massive scale! A huge dragon-shaped arena has been constructed with 8,844 solar panels incorporated into the structure (ie. the roof) and can generate 100% of its consumable energy while illuminating the track and field with 3,300 lux. What? Yes. That’s cool. Solar cool.
- Solar Sculpture at Coachella!
Artists are cool — eco-conscious artists are next-level cool and it’s those guys who are pushing green thinking in more ways than green paint. LA-based cool art gang, Crimson Collective, inspired by Japanese crane origami styles, constructed the massive solar powered bird for wide-eyed Coachella festival-goers to bask under and gaze at while enjoying the heck out of themselves. The sculpture is titled ‘Ascension’ and mirrors the audience’s high hopes of having a nice time at the popular music festival.
So, next time some dumb-dumb tells you that solar is boring you can impress them with your radical new solar know-how! Who knows where solar power will take us in the future? Will Elon Musk build a solar-powered rocket ship that can fly near the sun for optimum power styles? Maybe, I guess. Cool!
