Panasonic Creates Beautiful Display with Solar Panels in Milan
Panasonic Corporation will showcase its total solutions for creating, storing, saving and managing energy at the Milano Salone del Mobile 2012 exhibition, which will be held in Milan this April. At this year’s exhibition, Panasonic will present an energy cycle, comparing it to an ecological cycle that begins with photosynthesis, starting with energy creation (through solar panels), and continuing to energy storage (through storage batteries) and energy saving (through LED and organic LED lights), with each stage of the cycle being controlled by an energy management system. The installation, which is the first outdoor exhibit for Panasonic, was designed by noted young architect Akihisa Hirata, whose organic vision of a living, breathing architecture reflects the open yet interdependent symbiotic cycles in nature.
In response to the common goal of “shifting to sustainability,” Panasonic is working to make our lives more pleasant and reduce our impact on the environment. Their 2012 installation “Photosynthesis” exemplifies this dual ecology approach in a controlled-cycle energy management “tree” with solar panel “leaves”, energy-storing battery “fruit” and energy-saving LED/OLED “flowers”. Come experience Panasonic’s total energy solutions — a new world of possibilities for these greening times
This photosynthesizing “tree” uses a new 3D arrangement of photovoltaic cells floated on clear polycarbonate “leaves” unlike the typical flat “turf” or “moss” of horizontal solar panels. The shiny plastic surfaces randomly reflect the plants, lights and arched facades of the courtyard, mixing natural and artificial, historic and contemporary.
This installation takes place at INTERNI LEGACY, University of Milan.
Installation Details
Each unit of the pavilion is made of four solar panels oriented in various directions for peak generation at different times of the day, which combine to deliver a relatively stable power supply throughout the day. The read-out shows the realtime output of the pavilion panels.
The tree-like arrangement of solar panels in this pavilion averages an 80% generating efficiency per panel compared to typical flat layouts (simulation: Milano year-round), however the open spacing allows more diffused light to pass between solar panel surfaces and reflect to receptors below.
The pavilion comprises sixteen units, each made of solar panels and three types of polycar-bonate sheets (two of them symmetrical): an organic whole amassed of simple parts.
Tags: ecological cycle, ecology approach, energy creation, energy cycle, energy management system, energy solutions, energy storage, installation details, led lights, managing energy, milano salone del mobile, outdoor exhibit, panasonic corporation, photovoltaic cells, plastic surfaces, solar panels, storage batteries
Short URL: https://www.solarthermalmagazine.com/?p=18282
