Lily-shaped pads could generate solar energy in Glasgow

We've seen some pretty far-fetched efforts meant to capture the sun's rays and convert 'em into energy, but this one holds a special place in our hearts. Rather than consuming acres upon acres of desert land or simply placing a plethora of panels atop some roof, ZM Architecture has an idea that would land a slew of large lily-shaped solar panels in the River Clyde. After winning the International Design Awards Land and Sea Competition, the concept has been passed on to the Glasgow city council in hopes of a trial going forward in the near future. Essentially, energy gathered by the discs would be transformed and exported to the national grid, and integrated motors could rotate the pads in order to "follow the sun for maximum output." Just gotta watch for those sunbathers sure to swim over and kick back on a panel of their own.

[Via Inhabitat]

Read - BBC report
Read - IDA winner report

[Aguiluz @ May 12th 2008 8:11PM]

A novel idea!

Just watch out for the tourist ferries though.

[Aguiluz @ May 12th 2008 8:13PM]

@gabe
piitb = put it in the butt

So, basically, you choose not to say "FIRST!" or anything like that? Well, I'm ranking you up. (/s)

[Derek Bradley @ May 12th 2008 8:14PM]

Awesome, but what about boats? And anyone know the name of that cool looking complex on the right? A university perhaps?

[Aguiluz @ May 12th 2008 8:20PM]

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=River+Clyde+UK&sll=-45.198732,169.462395&sspn=0.113704,0.32135&ie=UTF8&t=k&ll=55.855697,-4.259455&spn=0.005661,0.020084&z=16&iwloc=addr

[Aguiluz @ May 12th 2008 8:21PM]

(I tried TinyURL'ing that link, but Engadget rejects my comment)

[tearfromthered @ May 12th 2008 8:32PM]

its a flat (apartment) complex, the riverview complex I think it's called, don't think its let out for students only, but private renters too

[kopie washako @ May 12th 2008 8:16PM]

I'm sure they'll really make use of the three hours of sunlight a year that Glasgow gets...

[LTM @ May 13th 2008 1:04AM]

that's incredibly funny and so very true!!

[Sporkinum @ May 13th 2008 11:51AM]

Yee know too much!

[Pentium @ May 12th 2008 8:16PM]

great!

[ma5t3rw1tt @ May 12th 2008 8:24PM]

Great,
But what about boats? Yeah you gotta think about the boats that would happen to be passing by and not to run into one of solar pads. I wonder if anyone thought about this little issue?

[Denver_80203 @ May 13th 2008 12:43AM]

Right now there's a scene being written where James Bond races over these things in swamp boats.

[retrocausal @ May 14th 2008 7:33PM]

that part of the clyde isn't really host to boats anymore, since the bridges at the top there and the new 'squinty bridge' just south of the picture are quite low to the water. I think it could work well and look really interesting, if only they would clean up the southside of the river front a little (that wasteland to the right, up form the apartment complex) - its been lying like that for years and ruins the riverside.

knowing glasgow city council though, it will never, ever happen.

[why not the LS2LS7? @ May 12th 2008 8:26PM]

Rotate the pads to follow the sun? These pads are horizontal (by definition, water seeks its own level), so there's no advantage to turning them.

I can't stand it when these pie-in-the-sky concepts with clearly no thought end up on sites like this, I'd rather see real gadgets.

[Mike D @ May 12th 2008 9:43PM]

the solar cells are probably tilted upward at an angle

[rcappo @ May 12th 2008 8:27PM]

Where are the wires to get back to the grid? Couldn't the city just reduce the property tax of any building that would give back their roof space to public city solar utilities?

[John @ May 14th 2008 5:27PM]

There's no 'property tax' on residential property in the UK. You could reduce council tax, but that would come out of the local council's budget as well as the cost of the solar panels - they're not likely to see much benefit.

[Martin @ May 12th 2008 8:32PM]

I guess they don't use boats there. Imagine trying to navigate around those things!

[Tom Bull @ May 12th 2008 8:37PM]

Sunbathers? In Glasgow? Maybe on the one sunny afternoon they get every 23 years (on average)... but unlikely to be much of a problem.

The scallies, on the other hand... are more of a risk. Maybe the article should read 'lilypad solar panels to appear shortly on river clyde, shortly afterwards in back gardens round celtic park.'

[Johan S @ May 12th 2008 8:41PM]

Those don't look like lily pads, they look like oil droplets or bacteria colonies.

[pagercam @ May 12th 2008 8:42PM]

This might be a good idea, if Glasgow ever saw the sun, but since it doesn't, not a good idea.

[PGP-Protector @ May 12th 2008 8:46PM]

What's so bad about using unused roof top space for solar panels ?

[sinjinn @ May 12th 2008 9:16PM]

its too obvious and wouldnt win a design award.

[BigD145 @ May 12th 2008 10:31PM]

Perhaps NIMBY applies.

[Raja @ May 13th 2008 1:47AM]

The real-estate on most roof-tops of multi-storey metropolitan buildings is used by air-conditioning compressors and shelters which contain cellphone network equipment. Hail-damage can also be a major issue for solar panels, but I guess that would apply to solar lillies too!

[Backlin @ May 12th 2008 9:59PM]

Man, talk about some fried frog.

[Tony Valentino @ May 13th 2008 1:16AM]

How about doing so with the L.A. river? Wouldn't have to worry about boats there...

[NineT9 @ May 13th 2008 1:16AM]

Just wait for it to start raining frogs

/me waits for the bible

[Marc @ May 13th 2008 2:20AM]

.... snow.... rain.... clouds... and river traffic? Why not put it in a suitable place.

[James @ May 13th 2008 3:17AM]

thats not a bad idea using the clyde for solar panels.

the only time you see a boat going up the clyde is to fish a suicide victems body out.

[JP @ May 13th 2008 4:01AM]

Nice way to sell Scotland! Last week the weather was amazing, many a mighty chest on show in Glasgow, it must be all the Irn Bru that makes them bigger!

JP.

[paddy @ May 13th 2008 4:11AM]

have you been to glasgow? *nobody* swims in the clyde.

the neds will either torch them or smash them with stones.

[Mark @ May 13th 2008 6:34AM]

There's enough sh*te flaoting in the Clyde as it is.

[fourthletter @ May 13th 2008 8:27AM]

These would be keen target practice for neds with bricks, has the designer ever visited Wedgie-land ?
The roofs of business building in the city center would be much better.

Design awards should be given based on d.e.s.i.g.n that means thinking of function as well as form, I mean Glasgow gets about as much sun as St. Petersburg

[Blaktornado @ May 13th 2008 8:53AM]

What they should have done is also include water wheels on the bottom of each one so that they could generate EVEN MORE power.

What's the point in only placing Solar panels in the middle of a river when you can harness the power of the water beneath as well?

[Finde @ May 13th 2008 8:59AM]

At least the panels will float, being supported by all the trashthat's in the damned river. Honestly, I've never seen murkier water than that from the Clyde.

I'd also make a generic "It's never sunny" comment,but right now I can hardly see my laptop's screen because of the sunlight.

[ferry @ May 13th 2008 11:41AM]

That's right about where the old Cathouse was in Glasgow, on the left shore. Happy happy days, they knocked it down though

[balqan @ May 13th 2008 3:53PM]

It's not that great at all. What's wrong with having solar panel on the roof of buildings. Why they feel the urge to screw up the water with their artificial islands. It's neither beautiful nor functional.

[judysolar @ Jul 9th 2008 11:14AM]

It's great. This concept has been partly realized in USA: SPG SOLAR just joined with SHARP Solar to build a solar array: Floatovoltaic,solar. This solar plant was just built on the water surface, and the solar panels are just floating on the water. Engagdget reported this project, too. ......Judysolar.spaces.live.com