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30-foot-tall solar sunflowers soak up energy in Austin, Texas
Installation artists Mags Harries and Lajos Héder have completed the largest public art installation for Austin, Texas: a set of 15, 30-foot-tall "sunflowers" studded with solar power petals. The flowers use the energy gathered during the day to power blue LEDs at night, illuminating the bike path they flank. On top of that, they toss about 15 kilowatts of extra energy into the grid daily.
The project was originally part of a call to block the unsightly truck docks around the back of a strip mall, and is titled "Sunflowers, An Electric Garden." We have to wonder how the residents of Austin find the piece, though — the start of something great, or is it just an eyesore?
Click through for a shot of the solar sunflowers at night.
Harries/Héder, via GOOD, via Inhabitat
By Realist at 3:06 PM ON 08/17/09
Pretty.. I guess. But why waste ANY power to light an area that is clearly already awash in light? And aside from drug runners, who really rides that much ast night? O.o
By ut_markle at 3:43 PM ON 08/17/09
I live in Austin and I have to say that I like them. The area they're in is right next to I-35 and is on the edge of a great new development in town. I'd like to see more of these all over town.
By Michael Cummings at 4:34 PM ON 08/17/09
Where are these things?
By anonymous at 5:44 PM ON 08/17/09
@Michael Cummings - The area they're in is right next to I-35 and is on the edge of a great new development in town.
By patrulje at 10:38 PM ON 08/17/09
IH-35 and 51st Street, the redevelopment of the old Robert Mueller Airport
By DrewMoynihan at 11:51 PM ON 08/17/09
I lived in Austin, and like most people I know, I love them. They look great, and add back into the grid. I would love to see more of them around different areas of the city. BTW: They are in the old Austin Mueller Airport re-development area. All in all, very cool idea and use.
By Giggity at 1:44 PM ON 08/18/09
So, if they are dumping 15 kilowatts of extra energy into the grid daily...has anyone in that area seen any decrease in their elec bill?
Even a little?
By Marta_Cat at 5:01 PM ON 08/18/09
About 35 years ago, there were still some so-called Freshman Moons in Austin. Theses were towers that provided general lighting in the central parts of Austin at night instead of regular street lighting. Perhaps this the modern Freshman Moon!
By jteesy at 12:11 PM ON 08/25/09
Electrical grids don't work that way. Essentially, any power generated by anyone (including Dell Children's Medical Center about two blocks away: http://www.dellchildrens.net/about_us/about_our_green_building/) becomes a part of the grid as a whole, not just that area. Any money saved there is also mixed in with the minute-to-minute fluctuations in various fuel prices, daily demand across the entire grid, etc.
By Michael Hoskins at 7:42 AM ON 10/06/09
These are really cool! This is something I would put in my backyard if I had the chance.
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