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>I've wondered if solar panels will start to look like pine trees at some point. Interesting thought, but I'm not sure there same factors that led to plant evo
by briga 6y ago
>I've wondered if solar panels will start to look like pine trees at some point.
Interesting thought, but I'm not sure there same factors that led to plant evolution will play out with solar panels. Plants reaching up into the air was a direct response to competition with other types of plants. Presumably the same sort of competition won't be necessary with solar panels. I'm sure nature still has a lot of inspiration we can draw from for creating new types of solar panels, but my guess is that the most efficient surface for collecting solar energy is the flat square design we see today.
- m463 6y agoYou're probably right. Aim fixed panels for the brightest part of the day and use batteries and that will probably solve most problems. What I think is interesting abouts trees is that they can take in energy even when the sun is low on the horizon, they have good ventilation so they don't overheat, and they work no matter what angle the sun is facing. The giant sequoias get a lot of their moisture directly from the air. Maybe we could add functions to our "tree-shaped solar panels" like fresh water gathering and climate control heat exchange.