- The SmartFlower has twelve solar ‘petals’ that autonomously follow the sun
- Its annual output of 4,000 – 6,500 kWh is 40% more than equivalent rooftop solar
- Hefty costs put the basic SmartFlower starting price at £31,950
Technology company SmartFlower is planning to introduce its new range of sculptural solar flowers, the SmartFlower EV and SmartFlower+Plus, as part of its plan to make solar energy more attractive.
The company plans to offer a new take on solar panels that it says ‘combines aesthetic, power and ingenuity’.
The original tech was invented in Vienna in 2014, and comprises a 4.8m tall structure that weighs weighed roughly 703kg and looks a bit like a flower that can operate in a five square metre space.
Inspired by sunflowers, the SmartFlower has twelve advanced photovoltaic solar ‘petals’ that open like a flower and follow the sun autonomously.
SmartFlower says this design helps maximise solar potential and by doing so, it is able to achieve a nominal output of 2.50kWp and an annual output of 4,000 – 6,500 kWh, or 40% more than what you’d expect from equivalent surface area of rooftop solar.
The technology can operate in temperatures ranging from -20°c to 55°c, and constant monitoring detects wind. When wind speed exceeds 30mph, the manufacturer says the petals automatically fold into a safety position at a height of just 2.6m.
The petals also close at night, and brushes on the underside of the panels clean them twice a day when they open and close, and after a storm. SmartFlower says the smart cleaning and cooling capacities prevent the usual dip in efficiency from heat and a build up of dirt by up to 15%.
They are designed to be more aesthetically pleasing than ground mounted arrays. Its sculptural design is available in white or grey, with the panels, inverter and optional lithium battery all part of one freestanding structure.
Distributed in the UK by specialist energy efficiency company GreenMole, they are delivered fully assembled with a single AC cable for home connection, and are installed and ready to use within a couple of hours. It can also be relocated when moving houses.
The panels have a 25-year performance warranty, dropping to a ten-year warranty on the inverter and two-year warranty on the system. This is a downside considering the average solar installation has a ten-year warranty.
The company says it has built upon its original model and will soon be offering two new options. SmartFlower EV adds an EV charging kiosk and the capacity to deliver 20,000 clean miles a year.
SmartFlower+Plus offers a fully integrated battery for additional solar storage. This aims to reduce reliance on the grid.
Prices for these statement solar sculptures start from £31,950 plus installation and shipping charges, while the SmartFlower+Plus is a whopping £51,727 plus shipping and installation.
Installation costs vary from between £2,300 – £5,600, meaning that for the SmartFlower+Plus you could be spending nearly four times the cost of a standard rooftop solar panel installation – but it would certainly draw the attention of your neighbours.
The high price barrier is why most of their customers are commercial or institutional.
There is no official launch date for either new product, however they are expected this year.
