Solar and Wind Power Generation in One
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Sustainably Minded Interactive Technology (SMIT) has created a novel project that is able to generate both solar power as well as wind power from the same source. The inventor said she got the inspiration from ivy growing on a building.
Teresita Cochraine created this project along with her brother. She cut a leaf-shaped solar panel for her brother and then decided to create this solar and wind hybrid power technology.
Just like ivy climbing on buildings on trees, their project named GROW uses a series of flexible solar cells as leaves. They are designed to harness solar power, while the wind that makes them flutter is then converted to energy. Thus, it produces hybrid energy from both the sun and the wind.
The solar leaves are made of 100 per cent recycled polyethylene, and are available in a variety of colors and opacities and can add aesthetics to the buildings.
They created a first project GROW.1 which is currently at the Museum of Modern Art both for art purposes as well as for power generation. Their second project GROW.2, is used for residences, as the hybrid system is built on top of a stainless steel mesh system and allows ivy and other crawler planets to grow with it as shown below.
Teresita wants to make this commercially available as soon as possible. She wants to sell them through regular stores so people can start building their systems.
I think this is a novel idea that provides energy from dual sources as well as provides building aesthetics. Also, it uses readily available polyethylene so it can be mass produced at a cheaper cost than silicon-based panels.
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Comments
Yes and it comes in different colors as well so it can match the decor or they can install it in the angled roof structures.
Great hub. I hope this can be available very soon because it´s a huge inovation and it should be in every house and even in other buildings. I wish all the luck in the world to Teresita Cochraine!
Yes, she did a terrific job, we need more entreprenuers like that. Cheers :)
This is good. This is real progress. I wonder if the solar leaves make noise. The Solar shingles look a bit flimsy. I wonder how they'd stand up in a hurricane. Still, it is a great start.
Since it is plastic, I am sure it won't make a noise. Initially the appaerance might look different, but I think even if it is one side of the wall it will give us good benefits. I am trying to find more information about it how much energy they produce at what cost etc., then it will give us a good comparison.
Sounds very interesting. It would be great if it is supplied for the normal housholds. Again it would depend on costs etc of course. Isnt it amazing what these inventers work out in there brains.
I wish my brain would work out something to make more money. Not to be rich but just a few extra dollars without always have to watch everything $ we spend.
Very interesting hub Thanks
Eileen, cost factor is important, but with the materials they are using it seems like it will be cheaper than regular silicon solar cells.
Keep working on it, everyone is unique and special, you will find your niche soon. Cheers :)
A very interesting combination of 2 renewable energy sources.
Even, if it causes some noise/sounds, that's just nothing to pollution caused by pumping, transporting and burning oil, gas, coal and nuclear (nuclear reaction, not chemical oxidation, but there are very dirty chemical reactions on the way to make a nuclear fuel)
I agree Solar Shingles, it is a novel idea, I hope they do more of this. Thanks for your comments.
Great idea's these days, far better than getting oil overseas. If enough technology is created like this and becomes widespread, they can sit on their damn oil.
Thanks Bueller, we should rely less on Gulf. The middle men are making excess profits from oil, they are not letting others to focue on alternate energy sources.
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Abhinaya says:
5 months ago
This is great news.Imagine how much we can save on chemicals.The solar leaves installed on the private residence makes the house look sophisticated.