UK to Get ‘Solar Trees’ for Electric Car Charging

Newstoday: UK is bringing another innovative method for charging their electric cars through solar trees. These trees are seven meters long solar panel canopies. A UK-based startup, SolarBotanic Trees, has developed structures that can charge (EVs) by using nano photovoltaic “leaves” to capture solar energy. The company has completed a half-scale device prototype and is currently working on a full-size version, which it plans to start commercial production on by the end of the year. EV mapping service ZapMap predicts that the UK will have over 40,000 public charging points by April 2023, a 37% increase from 2022. However, the UK Climate Change Committee estimates that by 2032, 325,000 charging points will be needed to meet the demand for EV charging. SolarBotanic Trees CEO Chris Shelley has stated that the current EV charging infrastructure in the UK is inadequate, and the company has received its first order of 200 trees from EV infrastructure supplier Raw Charging Group, which plans to use them in its UK and European charging site network. 

Shelley believes solar trees, similar to those found in Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay and Expo 2020 Dubai’s Sustainability Pavilion, offer an attractive and functional alternative to the unsightly solar-powered carports currently available. While the SolarBotanic Trees are more expensive than conventional solar panels, ranging from Rs. 6.2 million to Rs. 8.6 million, they can power multiple charging points and charge cars faster than standard charging points