Thanks to advancing solar and 3D printing technologies, scientists at VTT, a technical research centre in Finland, developed decorative prototypes called “energy harvesting trees”. These trees could harvest solar energy from its surroundings and can be used to power small appliances and mobile devices. They can also harvest kinetic energy from wind and temperature changes in the surrounding environment.

The tree’s leaves are flexible-patterned solar panels made using a technique developed by VTT on a printing process. Each leaf has a separate power converter, forming an electronic system complete with wiring that conduct energy into a converter which makes it possible to collect energy from a variety of sources like solar, wind and heat temperature. The more solar panels there are in a tree, the more energy it can harvest. The trunks of the "energy harvesting trees" are 3D printed using wood-based biocomposites that are mass producible and can be infinitely replicated.

Energy harvesting trees have the ability to trap infinite energy from the surrounding energy sources, offering an innovative way for the generation of clean energy which is also sustainable.

References: http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/3d-printed-solar-energy-trees/

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