Being in the solar "tree" business, I'm intrigued. Maybe it makes more energy. But there is another value: giving solar a physical presence that looks good (with refinement). Most solar power is generated on commercial rooftops and in "farms" on the ground where no one can see. If it takes the form of something attractive and visible, people will be more willing to pay for it, and it will influence more people to consider solar. The Prius delivers this same sort of physical statement of values. And, since a tree IS a solar-optimized organism, it seems appropriate to try to make solar power generation devices that recall trees. Technical note: I've seen only a few pictures of the test setup. They show the tree very close to the reflective surface of a wall. Light is coming off the wall and hitting solar cells oriented at that angle.
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Being in the solar "tree" business, I'm intrigued. Maybe it makes more energy. But there is another value: giving solar a physical presence that looks good (with refinement). Most solar power is generated on commercial rooftops and in "farms" on the ground where no one can see. If it takes the form of something attractive and visible, people will be more willing to pay for it, and it will influence more people to consider solar. The Prius delivers this same sort of physical statement of values. And, since a tree IS a solar-optimized organism, it seems appropriate to try to make solar power generation devices that recall trees. Technical note: I've seen only a few pictures of the test setup. They show the tree very close to the reflective surface of a wall. Light is coming off the wall and hitting solar cells oriented at that angle.