With the festive season joy affecting all, it seems Europe has decided to combine festive cheer with its sustainability plans. Europe has unveiled the continent’s first solar tree. The traditional Christmas piece was installed in Trakai, Lithuania, and symbolizes a transition in terms of the festive norm, but at the same time is a rather significant milestone for renewable energy.
The solar-powered Christmas tree that is not powered by the grid
In keeping up with the festivities, SoliTek has offered a Christmas tree that is inspired by a solar power plant and is not powered by the grid. With 42 bifacial 370-W Blackstar solar modules, the tree has been created to generate power from the rear and the front while capturing reflected light from the winter snow-covered surrounding buildings. The real work out of art, however, is the incorporation of eight custom 150-W modules that bring the full capacity to 17 kW. This total capacity is very similar to that of medium household arrays.
All of the electricity produced is then stored in a 15 kWh SoliTek NOVA battery. The battery is also SoliTek’s first storage unit that has been loaned to the Trakai municipality for the festive season. This battery prototype works by accumulating electricity during the day and providing the power to the tree during the evenings. In summer, it is estimated that this same photovoltaic array could also produce 60 to 80 kWh of electricity per day.
A Christmas tree that is more than just a holiday attraction
Although this solar-powered tree was designed with Christmas in mind, it forms part of a broader solar strategy. After Christmas, modules will all be dismantled and distributed to local kindergartens. The hope is that these solar modules will provide light to these educational institutions for over a decade. The modules come with a 30-year warranty.
While embracing the spirit of Christmas, the tree also symbolizes the spirit of giving during the holiday season, as the modules will provide environmental benefits to the local area. The company has surely captured the message that renewable solutions can have practical benefits, even if they do look more like a decorative Christmas tree than anything else.
More unconventional solar applications on the rise
Although the Solar-powered tree in Trakai does seem like an isolated experiment in honor of Christmas, it is not. The company, SoliTek, has become well-known for developing photovoltaic systems that serve more than one purpose. The focus of the company’s solar array is to serve a sustainable energy purpose while still looking aesthetically pleasing.
Another one of the company’s projects included transforming Zurich’s K3 Handwerkcity business center into a solar power plant. This 21,000 solar glass module expands across 3,900 square meters. The photovoltaic noise barrier project is another example of the company’s innovative success. With the first-ever origami solar panel being deployed, we can safely assert that photovoltaic innovations know no bounds. There is absolutely no limit as to what the next solar array will look like; however, this innovative mentality is causing more countries to embrace solar power wholeheartedly.
Renewable energy agenda woven into the spirit of Christmas
The Christmas tree installed in Trakai symbolizes a new frontier for Europe’s renewable energy agenda. This solar-powered tree incorporates the principles of bifacial modules into a culturally significant installation. It also shows that renewable energy can serve a purpose in community life while still being creative. With the flying solar panel being the future, we can only imagine what solar-powered advances await us in the upcoming years.
Europe surely is advancing its sustainable energy agenda, and such projects show the community just how inspirational companies can be when embracing a seasonal need and a purposeful solar system. The solar installation may very well serve as a beacon of hope for Europe’s exciting renewable energy future.
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