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Solar Energy Tree Says It Can Charge Your EV and Power a Three-Bedroom House

Trees are vital for so many reasons, with their most important quality being the fact that they provide our oxygen. But what if we can use them for producing energy, too, to charge our EVs or power our homes?
Solar Botanic Energy Tree 7 photos
Photo: Solar Botanic
Solar Botanic Energy TreeSolar Botanic Energy TreeSolar Botanic Energy TreeSolar Botanic Energy TreeSolar Botanic Energy TreeSolar Botanic Energy Tree
Well, to be honest, what Solar Botanic is proposing is not exactly a tree. It’s more of a tree-shaped sculpture that can create energy using the sun. The Energy Tree, as it is called, is about 5 m (16 ft) tall and features what its developers tout as the world’s first 3D leaf-shaped photovoltaic nanotechnology. These solar cells have a power generation capacity of 5 kW. The Energy Tree also comes with built-in battery storage in which the solar energy is stored, so that you can use it to power your house or electric car.

This clean energy source of the future has been developed by U.K.-based startup Solar Botanic, in partnership with the engineering department of London’s Brunel University, the Manufacturing Technology Center and the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Center. It has been in the works for five years now, but we finally have a prototype of the Energy Tree installed and being tested. The prototype was recently launched at Sheffield University’s center.

According to Solar Botanic, the Energy Tree is a scalable product that can have a plethora of applications. A single tree can produce enough energy to power a three-bedroom house and you can “plant” one of these things right outside your home. You can also create an entire forest of Energy Trees to power an entire neighborhood or you can use them for commercial car parks to charge electric vehicles.

Solar Botanic claims its solar trees are flexible and engineered to operate in any season, thanks to their “combination of nano-leaves and piezoelectric ribbons that ensure a fruitful harvest of electricity throughout the seasons, rain or shine.

The next step is to seek funding and have the first version of the Energy Tree ready for commercial launch in mid-2023. You can watch the video below for more info on how this solar tree works.

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About the author: Cristina Mircea
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Cristina’s always found writing more comfortable to do than speaking, which is why she chose print over broadcast media in college. When she’s not typing, she also loves riding non-motorized two-wheelers, going on hikes with her dog, and rocking her electric guitars.
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