Power Flower

Small-scale wind has been taking a beating lately, with local zoning ordinances throughout the United States that fly in the face of the technology. People confuse small wind power in residential areas with big, commercial blades, and have concerns about noise and aesthetics, mostly. An art project could solve that.

Art Energy Design has created a sculpture, of a 12-foot flower with solar cells in the leaves and a small wind turbine for the pedals, according to a post at MAKE Magazine. The flower lights up at night with LEDs.

Imagine, people with modified flower turbines on their roofs and in their back yards, and happy neighbors and public officials.

Maybe it’s too dreamy, but why not?

The Power Flower also could be used for plugging in laptops, phones and other electrical devices in downtown areas. There’s already one in front of the 2000 Technology Drive building, where the Pittsburgh Technology Council is headquartered.

Will this grow?

Via Treehugger