Solar Trees may be used in Europe

December 26, 2007

Solar Trees

Solar Trees
Photo: metaefficient.com

A recent trial of Solar Trees (Solar powered lights in the shape of trees) in Vienna, Austria has proven successful and may prove to be catalyst for their installation throughout the rest of the city. It is also hoped that the Solar Trees could spread to cities throughout Europe.

The solar trees were tested successfully for a period of four weeks on a busy street in Vienna. The tests showed that the trees were able to provide light throughout the night, even when the sun did not show for a period of four days due to cloud cover.

The branches of the solar trees each have 36 solar cells and 10 lamps as well as rechargeable batteries. The rechargeable batteries get charged during the daytime and store enough energy to power the lights during the nighttime and also for a number of days even when cloudy weather is experienced.

Christina Werner from Cultural Project Management (Kulturelles Projektmanagement, Vienna) has said “The tests have shown that solar trees really are a practical form of street lighting.”

She said that the City of Vienna was now in the process of deciding whether to install more solar trees.

“We hope that not only the city of Vienna but other cities will see the merits of using renewable energy for street lighting to cut emissions,” Christina Werner said. “Someday soon solar trees could well be the main form of street lighting in Europe.”

“Street lighting consumed 10 percent of all the electricity used in Europe in 2006 or 2,000 billion KWh, and resulted in carbon emissions of 2,900 million tonnes.”

Many of us would have seen smaller versions of the same principle used in solar garden lights, and these street light commercial versions are a natural progression. We can only hope that governments and local councils will see the long term benefits and start looking seriously at implementing them.

Website: Solar trees for street lighting.



Written by Craig · Filed Under Energy, Technology 

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