SolarBotanic Trees selected for research and funding
Solar charging concept SolarBotanic Trees has been selected for the Central Research Laboratory Accelerator Programme and also received European Research & Development Funding.
The firm is one of seven start-ups to participate in the Central Research Laboratory (CRL) 2023 Accelerator programme – a 3-month scheme with product designers from CRL working on the development of the first commercial prototype of SolarBotanic’s solar ‘tree’.
The CRL and SolarBotanic team will be working alongside the design engineering and prototyping team from the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) at the University of Sheffield that have been working on the industrial design. TThe AMRC team has been developing the full-scale field prototype as the company moves towards full scale commercial production by the end of 2023.
The project will also commence initial beta testing of dedicated AI software which will use real data from the field demonstration scaled prototype to simulate how the trees will perform.
A crowdfunding round in early April will also be undertaken by the firm to progress towards Technology Readiness Level 7, which will allow SolarBotanic Trees to continue the development of their functional prototype to commercial launch.
The trees are designed for aesthetically sensitive locations and has a dome made up of photovoltaic (PV) ‘leaves’, that can harness enough solar energy to power individual homes, and charge electric vehicles; while its sleek aesthetic means it is not only easy on the eye but on the environment too – providing a clean and green energy solution to accelerate the UK’s Net Zero journey. L
Chris Shelley, CEO of SolarBotanic Trees, said: “Working with CRL team members with a strong track record in industrial design is a huge boost to the project from a product perspective. It will add further momentum by bringing in the skills and experience of rapidly bringing products to market. The design team will complement the industrial engineering excellence being provided by the AMRC as we move closer to the design freeze to move to the next stage of production.”
Jim Reeves, Product Development Director with CRL, said: “SolarBotanic Trees is an interesting project for CRL that presents some unique industrial design challenges. They are seeking a new approach towards solar, looking to balance aesthetics of the built environment with our needs for a net zero future.”
Image courtesy of SolarBotanic Trees