The first commercial prototype of
SolarBotanic Trees’ solar ‘tree’, which are intended to power homes and charge electric vehicles, is being developed by experts at the
University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC). SolarBotanic is working with the AMRC to develop a field prototype for the integrated, scalable, and sustainable power generation system. Since its launch in the summer of 2022, SolarBotanic has already secured its ‘founding client’ following a multi-million-pound deal with Raw Charging Group.
The trees, which are designed for ‘aesthetically sensitive locations’, have a dome made up of nano photovoltaic (PV) ‘leaves’ that harness solar energy. The AMRC, part of the High Value Manufacturing (HVM) Catapult network of research centres, is providing the product development and design support to help build a functional prototype for testing.
John Spencer, a senior project manager at the AMRC, said: “We are delighted to be working with the team at SolarBotanic Trees on the development of its energy-generating solar tree. The business has a great product, one that will play an important role in developing the infrastructure necessary to support the shift to zero-emission electric vehicles (EVs), a core part of the UK Government’s ‘net zero’ strategy. The AMRC will provide design and prototyping support to advance the product through a rapid development cycle, enabling the company to launch the first solar tree, fulfil its pre-orders, and gain traction in the EV charging market.”
Chris Shelley, SolarBotanic’s CEO, said: “With the AMRC bringing its design and prototyping expertise to the table it will help us accelerate commercialisation. With its world-class facilities and talent, the AMRC team will help us to deliver the prototype at speed and enable us to rapidly move to commercial production in the near future, starting with our launch order for 200 trees for RAW Charging Group, a high-growth UK and EU focused EV charging service provider.”
Other project partners include the
Manufacturing Technology Centre in Coventry (MTC) and the
Advanced Forming Research Centre in Scotland, both part of the
HVM Catapult, along with
Brunel University in London and the multi-national logistics company
Unipart.