Dubai is widely known for its substantial oil deposits. Oil has driven Dubai’s economy for years now. But how will the city survive when the oil eventually runs out. Dubai might have found its answer in these solar powered palm trees. Does Dubai’s future consist of renewable energy? And what does this future look like?
Dubai is proving its credentials as the place to go for leisure using renewables
Dubai is awash with hotels, yachts, expensive cars, and beautiful beaches. In terms of a holiday destination, you could do a lot worse. In recent decades, Dubai has established itself as the place to go for exclusive recreation.
Because Dubai’s economy is so reliant on its oil deposits, many have feared that the city is a temporary boom that will collapse as oil deposits are steadily depleted. This has led to a rebrand of Dubai’s economy from one sustained solely through resource extraction to one which encourages tourism.
Dubai has invested heavily in its infrastructure centred around tourism. Instagram feeds are inundated with picturesque images of opulence, exciting nightlife activities, and luxury shopping sprees. You can even sleep under this gigantic artificial moon.
The photosynthesising, photovoltaic palm trees enlivening Dubai’s renewable infrastructure
It stands to reason that Dubai’s renewable energy infrastructure will be in keeping with the city’s objective of making everything within its confines an experience. It is no surprise then that the solar stations that have been introduced across the city are shaped like palm trees.
The Solar Palm has leaves that are layered with numerous DSSC-based solar modules. These modules are incredibly efficient and relatively cheap to produce. At the bottom of the leaf is a sheet of luminescent fabric which provides full-surface illumination.
The trees are designed in such a way that they can adapt to partial shadows and less-than-optimal angles. The energy collected is stored in a hidden accumulator at the tree’s base. The solar power produced then powers the leaves of the palm tree and charges mobile devices connected via USB.
Some of the hidden perks of Dubai’s “smart palm”
The first and most obvious use of the smart palm is to provide shade. Dubai is incredibly hot and some man-made shade is crucial to an enjoyable experience in the city. But the leaves of the palm do more than just provide a shady place to rest.
The solar power generated in the tree’s leaves are used to power integrated USB chargers for mobile devices. These chargers can charge devices at 2.5 times the rate of your average recharging station. The tree also serves as one big WIFI hotspot providing free WIFI to visitors to the tree.
The trees have a touch screen and a smart information application equipped with city information, a dedicated website, and mobile apps. The trees also feature a digital outdoor screen to display public announcements, government notices and advertisements.
Solar palms as clever and innovative renewable energy infrastructure
One of the biggest problems facing the renewable industry is public buy in. Many people do not like the look of renewable energy infrastructure like solar panels and wind turbines. The smart palm is changing all that.
The sleek design of the palm makes it a visually striking and aesthetically charming piece of renewable infrastructure. The smart palms that dot the city of Dubai enhance the visual appeal of the region, aligning with other designs that keep with Dubai’s “smart city” initiative.
These trees are also important for travellers and residents of the city alike. The palms are equipped with security and emergency features like a 360 degrees infrared CCTV camera and an emergency button.
Who said renewable energy needs to be ugly?
Dubai’s use of these smart palms is a step towards proving that renewable energy infrastructure can combine utility with visual appeal. This is a major step towards garnering public support for renewable infrastructure in cities. Designs of renewable energy infrastructure like the smart palm and this seamlessly integrated solar skin seek to strike this balance between the beautiful and the useful.
