Sunflowers have been reborn for the future, and these ones you can’t give your loved one in a bouquet. Engineers in Switzerland has developed a massive solar sunflower, combining both photovoltaic solar power and concentrated solar thermal power in one package with a total efficiency of around 80 percent. It uses two constituent technologies that harness and concentrate energy from the sun—”to about 5,000 suns.” The flower is equipped with 36 highly efficient reflectors with photovoltaic cells that are capable of converting concentrated solar energy into electricity. The company, Airlight Energy, plans on manufacturing them to full commercial capacity by 2017.
The Solar Sunflower can harness the power of 5,000 suns
More of Today's Solutions
Yale study suggests psilocybin can help treat migraines
Before, we published the results of a new study that found psilocybin therapy to be four times more effective than antidepressants for treating major ...
Read MoreScientists use CRISPR gene editing to make tomatoes richer in vitamin D
Over the past couple of years, people have become especially interested in CRISPR gene editing and vitamin D. Both are linked to fighting off ...
Read MoreFamily’s tortoise missing for 30 years turns up in the attic
Pet owners everywhere would agree: the loss of a pet is a difficult event to process—especially in the case of a missing pet. Dealing ...
Read MoreBoosting urban plant diversity: A strategy for increasing insect species in c...
Plant diversity is being used more and more in urban landscaping because of its revolutionary potential to restore urban ecosystems and increase insect populations. ...
Read More
