Going Green with Solar Ivy

Just when you thought renewable energy couldn’t get any greener, New York-based design company Sustainably Minded Interactive Technology (SMIT; s-m-i-t.com) came up with the idea for Solar Ivy. Now available for residential and commercial projects, the customizable energy system is designed to resemble the naturally growing plant seen blanketing building walls, but this “ivy” has the technology to convert sunlight into electricity.

The leaf-shaped panels, which combine thin-film photovoltaic technology and generators, are about 10-in. long and are mounted to a building with a flexible stainless-steel mesh. The leaves’ electrical leads are connected to an inverter or battery and the conversion begins. While converting energy is the main function, SMIT also touts the product’s shade-producing capabilities as a way to cut cooling costs.

Property owners can customize their Ivy by choosing:
• The shape and color of the leaves to meet building aesthetics or to create an organization’s name or company logo.
• The spacing or density of the leaves depending on goals for energy gain, visibility, or architectural needs.
• The type of photovoltaic material used in the leaves based on energy production and environmental objectives. Options include a recyclable, non-toxic organic version; a silicon version with a longer lifespan; and the copper-indium-gallium-(di)selenide (more commonly known in the solar energy world as CIGS) version.

The price of the Solar Ivy varies based on the size of the project and the type of photovoltaic material chosen. (SMIT’s website lists an approximate price between $19 and $24 per leaf.)

The University of Utah in Salt Lake City plans to begin installation of Solar Ivy on one of its buildings this fall. It will be the first location in the U.S. to use the solar energy system.