We all know that residential solar panels go on your rooftop, or just in plain fields outdoors where they are best exposed to sunlight. There are also solar parks, solar fields, and solar beds too. While all of these are great ways to harness some solar energy, there are more. Check out some interesting ways you can deploy solar panels and get lots of clean energy from the sun.
1. Floating Solar Panels
If you though solar panels can only be installed on your roof, field or park, then this is what you need to know. Kyocera Corp. in Japan is building a floating solar panel power plant in Chiba, near Tokyo[1]. This is a great creative way to save land for more useful purposes such as agriculture, vegetation, forestation, etc. This will not only save land, but promote cleaner air, reduce carbon footprint and provide an opportunity to make bigger solar power plants.
2. Spinning Cones
A startup in LA, V3Solar brought a new way to get the most energy from the sun. It created cone shaped solar panels to add a little twist to the panels and go up in the design game. The coolest thing about these cone shapes panels is that they rotate so as to maximize energy generation. Also, these panels can produce 20 times more energy than a standard, flat solar panel[2].
3. Spherical Power Panels
German architect, just gave the standard solar panel a run for its popularity. These cool unconventional, spherical solar panels tell a lot about the future of solar. It’s here to stay. The huge class sphere, filled with water works well for inclined areas like buildings, hilly areas – and basically anywhere that it is exposed well to the sun and sky. This futuristic design is practical, rational and a sign of the evolution of solar panel design.[3]
4. Panels on the Road
Solar panels need sunlight, open sky, and lots of space to generate energy. Roads and bridges are the perfect options to place solar panels to harness some energy from the sun. Â Solar arrays can be placed alongside the road network, or can be placed on the roads on the sidewalk. This can also add a design element for the pedestrians to enjoy. Solar arrays can be installed easily on mountains, roads, hilly areas or anywhere there is space alongside the roads. This is a great opportunity to boost clean energy generation.
What other ways do you think can you harness some solar energy?
Sources:
[1] http://spectrum.ieee.org/energywise/energy/renewables/japan-building-worlds-largest-floating-solar-power-plant
[2] https://www.offgridworld.com/cone-shaped-spinning-solar-cells-generate-20-times-more-electricity-than-flat-photovoltaics/
[3] www.alternative-energy-news.info/spherical-sun-power-generator/
