The concept of using glass instead of solar panels in this case is not an attempt to demonstrate that the latter are outdated. Instead, this installation is a display of how experimentation with solar panels is capable of producing electricity in an unprecedented, elegant manner. If 300 glass sheets can produce 46,500 kWh of energy, it is fair to say that the facilitator of such a project has killed two birds with one stone: serving a community of residents with electricity and building a tourist attraction.
300 sheets of glass instead of solar panels: Embracing an unconventional method of generating energy
Technological innovations are at the core of contemporary society. When it appears that perhaps there is no outdoing a previous invention, somebody finds a way to turn it up a notch. Imagine telling someone ten years ago that 300 pieces of glass could replace solar panels and yield similar or even better results?
A European country has found a way to generate 46,500 kWh of electricity using glass panels instead of traditional solar ones. Critics might suggest that this is an insignificant amount of energy. Still, in the grand scheme of things, it is also essential that the world produces energy instead of solely focusing on the availability of energy from other sources. For instance, there are a lot of disgruntled people in the US following the approval of a natural gas project, which some people believe is bound to impact the environment negatively.
Clean energy is vital to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The artistic glass installation produces an annual output of 46,500 kWh of clean energy electricity for the community to use. The clean energy is produced seamlessly and seemingly simply, which defies everything that we have come to believe about the complexity of energy production.
An alluring show of energy production: Analysing the dual purpose of the futuristic design
Located along the Dalmatian coast on the Adriatic Sea is a majestic tourist attraction that also serves as an essential source of energy in Croatia. The concept came about through an amalgamation of art and sustainability, with the hopes of conveying the importance of clean energy in a different manner. The monument is a building that consists of 300 multi-layer glass plates in a circular shape with a 22-meter diameter. It is called ‘Monument to the Sun’ or ‘The Greeting to the Sun’, and Nikola Bašić is the person credited for its creation.
Unpacking the step-by-step process of how 300 glasses produce 46,500 kWh of energy
Critics might suggest that the monument is more of a spectacle than it is representative of a clean energy project, but that is inaccurate. The city of Zadar is renowned for its many sunny days, which makes it conducive to solar energy production. During the day, the 300 glass plates operate like solar panels by absorbing sunlight and storing it. At night, all the sunlight stored is used to produce electricity, which people can use.
‘The Greeting to the Sun’ building lights up a colourful spectacle with all 300 glass plates, which captivates and entertains passers-by. Among this entire process, there is one clear message: clean energy production does not always need to occur traditionally, but instead, it can be a public experience that inspires people to participate in reducing carbon emissions.
Potential considerations for countries aiming to replicate the 300 glasses instead of solar panels strategy
The most obvious challenge of a project such as ‘The Greeting to the Sun’ is that the colourful glass is expensive and breaks easily. Thus, the project would require investment in an adequate system to manage the fragile material. Furthermore, the project is only replicable in areas that have a lot of sunlight.
Although the project is not easily replicable, perhaps there is a bigger message. The intention was not to promote the use of glass to produce energy. Rather, it was an attempt to demonstrate that clean energy production is achievable through everyday activities. It does not matter whether clean energy production is the main aim, as long as all countries participate in reducing carbon emissions.
