Based on the Sunflower, these brand-new solar panels could replace traditional solar power sources. Made by the company Smartflower, these solar panels mimic how a sunflower opens and follows the sun. Smartflower was founded in Australia, and in 2023, it partnered with Toyota and installed 5 Smartflower solar panels at the Toyota Motor Manufacturing facility in West Virginia.
These sunflower solar panels have also solved one of the biggest issues with solar panels: dust that builds up over the panels and blocks light. The built-in dusters fold in, scraping away all the dust.
The Smartflower is a plug-and-play solar source, which means that you can have it running in just a few hours. With dual-axis tracking, it allows the petals to move with the sun and will unfold in the early morning hours.
This solar panel is set up in the appropriate position to absorb 6-8 plus hours of sunlight, which will produce “3,000-6,200 KWH (kilowatt hours) of power a year,” according to designboom. Unfortunately, this isn’t enough to power an average American household, which consumes 10,791 kilowatt hours a year.
However, there are some things to take into account, such as the materials, like the silicone needed for the panel itself. For example, the mines in Utah are around 7,700 acres, not to mention the construction vehicles that need to make the quarry. So a solar panel isn’t always the best form of clean energy, such as nuclear energy or a geothermal plant.
Nevertheless, compared to a regular solar panel, the Smartflowers concept is definitely an interesting one and could be exciting to see where they take their company in the future.
