Japanese consortium disguises solar cells as leaves

We've already seen a number of attempts to more seamlessly integrate solar cells into everyday environments, but none have quite gone as far as this latest prototype from the folks at Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Mitsubishi, and Tokki Corp. As you can see above, they've come up with a solution that shouldn't look too out of place nestled in with some actual foliage, with a special protective film encapsulating each of the solar models to ensure they stand up to the outdoors. The institute (no stranger to unique concepts) apparently isn't stopping there, however, saying that it also has plans to expand its use of organic thin-film solar cells into other areas where design is important, including walls, windows, clothing, and livingware, to name but a few.

[Musouka @ Jun 4th 2008 4:10PM]

Looks fragile

[Darkroom @ Jun 4th 2008 4:15PM]

looks awesome

[Idlemind @ Jun 4th 2008 4:18PM]

Solar panels ARE fragile...

But this is a great idea... Imagine acres of these things in parks and zoos...

oh wait.. they ARE fragile...

[farfisa @ Jun 4th 2008 4:16PM]

Don't water it!!!

ffzzzzzzttttt

[EricR @ Jun 4th 2008 4:18PM]

Somehow I can't see this ending until we "scorch the skies"...

[coffee @ Jun 4th 2008 4:19PM]

shouldn't all the leaves be near the top, so they're not shaded by other leaves?

[rcappo @ Jun 4th 2008 4:24PM]

I would like to see a normal sized palm tree version of this. It's leaves would all be at the top and could be used in lots of applications.

[caleb @ Jun 4th 2008 5:15PM]

I was wondering just yesterday about plant leaves vs. solar panels. Why did years of evolution choose green as the best color for foliage? And why don't solar panels leverage whatever the answer to that question is?

[Elliott @ Jun 4th 2008 6:14PM]

'I was wondering just yesterday about plant leaves vs. solar panels. Why did years of evolution choose green as the best color for foliage? And why don't solar panels leverage whatever the answer to that question is?'

Green isnt the 'best colour for foilage', green is what is reflected and not absorbed.

Solar panels, I assume, dont have to problem of being destroyed by excessive heat (biologically speaking, most things organic would be rendered useless before 100C). If photosynthetic pigments absorbed a greater wavelength of light (thus appearing blacker), then the leaves would be heated up considerably, potentially damaging them.

[WarMouse @ Jun 4th 2008 8:48PM]

solar panels do not require chlorophyll

[caleb @ Jun 4th 2008 9:43PM]

Yes, but why did plants with green leaves win the survival game when presumably black plants would absorb more light? Is there some aspect of chlorophyll that that could not be replicated in a similar way with a black pigmented replacement to chlorophyll (melaphyll if you will)? It seems to me there must be some reason "green" is a more efficient color to use.

[Jake @ Jun 5th 2008 11:25AM]

I think the argument is that black doesn't 'absorb more light.' It does get hotter, in my limited experience, but I think the colour of the surface is irrelevant to the amount of light absorbed. My grade nine science is very iffy but if I recall, plant photosynthesis is mainly dependent on the light, not the heat.

[Elliott @ Jun 5th 2008 12:56PM]

The colour of an object is completely dependent on the light it absorbs. Light it does not absorb is reflected and is what we see.

If a plants chlorophyll was to appear black, that would be because it is absorbing all wavelengths of photons hitting it, but this may not really be advantageous. The greater energy absorbed may destroy the molecule, or the colour black may simply have been a disadvantage to the plants.
In addition to this, the structure of an organic compound that absorbed all wavelengths of visible light would likely be very complex, thus increasing the chances of the gene(s) that code for it being altered and rendered useless by mutations, thus offspring would not live if this was the case.

Also, the conversion of energy contained within the light to chemical energy is not 100% efficent, resulting in waste heat production, this can cause other adverse effects such as increased water loss from the leaves etc. The absorbtion of wavelengths other than green light provides a comprimise.

[Paul @ Jun 5th 2008 1:19PM]

No DSSC operate more efficiently in diffuse lighting conditions

[Grobat @ Jun 10th 2008 8:38PM]

Plants leaves are green because they don't absorb green light.
they don't absorb green light because they absorb mostly red light, which is the complementary color to green. That means if you give red light to a plant, it will appear black because every photon will be absorbed. If you give it green light, it will appear green and eventually die (no photon absorbed).
That's why some plants that grow on the ground under forests, like Begonias, have a red or purple underleaf layer. It reflects "red photons" that would have gone through the green, full of chlorophylle layer without being converted into bio-energy, back into this layer. That's handy when considering that trees above consume most light coming from sun.
There actually are black-leaved plants, like Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens' (Japanese black Mondo grass), or Caulocasia 'Black Magic' (which is actually more dark purple than black).
I don't know what led to such colors, if there's an advantage it may be something not linked to light. It could be linked to insects, plant-eating animals, etc.

Hope I helped

[required @ Jun 4th 2008 4:20PM]

Plants handle dust very well. Fake plants don't.

[ShopLittleGifts @ Jun 4th 2008 4:23PM]

Interesting. I think it's a really good start. Imagine: plant by day, lamp by night.

[Za @ Jun 4th 2008 4:27PM]

Brilliant concept - whole point of leaves is that they can effectively access sunlight.

[Steffen Jobbs @ Jun 4th 2008 4:28PM]

Make like a tree and leave (the electricity to us).

[Bryan @ Jun 4th 2008 4:31PM]

What would be really interesting is if someone could make a plant that gave off electricity, possibly have a manmade structure so the plant isn't concerned about building it's own body, just in collecting energy. Think of how those potato batteries work. That seems really creepy and Matrix-like sure, but intellectually it is interesting.

[Wolfticket @ Jun 4th 2008 4:41PM]

Interesting, as it would basically just bypass the elongated "growing>burning>converting" process that provides most of our electricity now. Although I'm sure people would say it was gm-gone-mad, but they are spoilsports :)

[Jake @ Jun 5th 2008 11:26AM]

I can't wait until they invent a plant that converts CO2 to oxygen. Er, wait a tick...

[crho85 @ Jun 4th 2008 4:36PM]

so life like! I couldn't tell this was not a real tree

[Krush @ Jun 4th 2008 4:41PM]

two words my friend .....
NICE TRY

[BigD145 @ Jun 4th 2008 5:11PM]

It would be good to charge your cell phone.

[idiot @ Jun 4th 2008 5:14PM]

another idea i can cross off my list of things to invent. if only i had investors...

this really has potential, the reason why the leaves are all over the plant instead of at the top are a) it looks like a real plant and 2) it catches sunlight from all angles

[Dan @ Jun 4th 2008 5:17PM]

This is nothing new it was already done in the form of ivy by a recent Pratt Institute graduate. It was displayed in the MOMA in NYC a few months ago.

[skulldriveshaft @ Jun 4th 2008 7:19PM]

so... remotely placed surveillance cameras and transmitters that don't require battery replacement?

great for researchers, law enforcement, military use, and abuse by the government.

[Andrew Edahl @ Jun 4th 2008 10:26PM]

Great.
Huge forests of highly reflective plant-like solar panels... frying everything within a 10 foot radius... the end of real forests as we know it.

I don't mind living in a gigantic circuit city, cooled by intercostal waterways of liquid nitrogen at all.

[Rick @ Jun 5th 2008 10:35AM]

This is awesome. I just wish these companies would focus on getting product to market!!

[Arkenklo @ Jun 9th 2008 10:11AM]

Wow! I totally thought that was a flower, job well done!

[Gopi @ Jul 12th 2008 2:11AM]

Sounds like back-to-future, check this link

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,931720,00.html

[tory @ Dec 25th 2008 3:41AM]

it's interesting and applied.

I found another web http://www.greenbaba.com there are many types of unique solar produts, it's really a fantastic place for solar gadgets.

[DHL @ Dec 25th 2008 3:42AM]

very nice

I know another solar trip which is similar with this, but beautiful than this one.

the web http://www.greenbaba.com told me about it, and there are many kinds of solar gadgets