Solar panels can learn a lot from sunflowers. So someone is already creating them with legs

Over the past few years, scientists working on perfecting solar panels have experimented with perovskite, new silicon “tandems,” dye-sensitized cells, vacuum tubes, designs so thin they can be sewn into fabrics, or other designs that reduce dependence on money… And that among a long, long list of innovations. However, not all of them focus on the development of new materials. There are those who, like the firm EcoFlow, have focused on practical solutions that seek to make photovoltaic installations their way into their own homes. on the balconiesto be more precise.

and with models endowed with “legs” that allow the panels to move in a very similar way to sunflowers to optimize their operation.

The company, founded in 2017, has developed a terrace station that combines solar panels and portable generators with a double purpose: to produce energy that it then stores for later use. This last nuance is important because it makes the difference that those responsible insist on. “Compared to traditional balcony stations, our solution offers the possibility to store electricity and use it at any time,” he remarks.

Hunting for the best angle

According to his calculations, a 110 W solar panel saves 115.5 kWh, “enough to power a vacuum cleaner for a total of 72 hours over the course of a full year,” he explains. The company also offers models of 160, 220 and 400Wwith which the savings can be even greater, up to 420 kWh.

Apart from portable power stations and solar panels for balconies, one of EcoFlow’s most interesting bets is a mobile support with four legs that allows the screens to rotate looking for the best position to generate energy. The company claims that its is “the first consumer solar tracker” and underlines its multiple advantages to improve production.

The device measures 2.5 x 1.5 x 1.5 metersweight 25 kilos, incorporates an internal battery and is compatible with iOS and Android. EcoFlow ensures that it is prepared to withstand wind gusts of up to 50 kilometers per hour (km/h).

“Place a solar panel on the Solar Tracker and it will rotate and oscillate on two axes to orient itself at the best angle with respect to the sun at all times”, ensures the company. His calculations conclude that the support allows obtaining 30% more W than if the panels were arranged in a vertical position, without more.

Another of its advantages is that it prevents its owners from having to move them several times throughout the day in search of the most optimal position. “The panels receive more sunlight throughout the day, which allows for more green energy,” they affect.

“It incorporates four legs that open and can be immobilized to ensure that the equipment remains firmly in place in proper safety conditions. The support at the top can also be extended to adapt it to the solar panel,” he details. The only two requirements are that the screens are not too large or heavy and that they incorporate an MC4 electrical connector. That and, of course, pay the €3,699 that, as detailed on its websitethe support costs.

“EcoFlow’s balcony solar system is the first of its kind to include portable energy storage. It converts sunlight into energy via solar panels to power the home during the day, but also stores the excess in stations portable for use at night,” they point out from the company. The energy can also be captured with foldable solar panels.

Cover image: EcoFlow