Budget-Friendly Snap Together ‘Veranda' Solar Panels
Katie Cordrey — April 13, 2009 — Eco
References: earth2tech & verandasolar
Veranda Solar, a start-up based in Portland, OR and Oakland, CA, is developing small, easy-to-install solar power systems.
Easier to assemble than IKEA furniture, the snap-together, plug-and-play design is geared to DIY installations. Each unit is about 24” and will produce 60-70 watts. The rounded corners give them an artsy look.
SunPower Corp. and Stanford University developed the prototypes. The flat-ship kit will include panels, an inverter and all the bits needed to deliver power into a home. Installation can be made on roofs, windowsills, balconies or walls using only a screwdriver.
At a cost of $600 for the kit or $400 for add-on panels, these have a great potential as mini-micro contributors to an optimized distributed power grid system.
Easier to assemble than IKEA furniture, the snap-together, plug-and-play design is geared to DIY installations. Each unit is about 24” and will produce 60-70 watts. The rounded corners give them an artsy look.
SunPower Corp. and Stanford University developed the prototypes. The flat-ship kit will include panels, an inverter and all the bits needed to deliver power into a home. Installation can be made on roofs, windowsills, balconies or walls using only a screwdriver.
At a cost of $600 for the kit or $400 for add-on panels, these have a great potential as mini-micro contributors to an optimized distributed power grid system.
Trend Themes
1. Snap-together Solar Panels - The easy-to-assemble, plug-and-play design of Veranda Solar's panels presents an opportunity for disruptive innovation in the solar power industry by making solar installations more accessible for DIY homeowners.
2. DIY Solar Power Systems - Veranda Solar's DIY solar power systems offer a budget-friendly option for consumers to generate their own renewable energy, creating an opportunity for disruptive innovation in the sustainable energy sector.
3. Optimized Distributed Power Grid - By serving as mini-micro contributors to an optimized distributed power grid system, Veranda Solar's solar panels have the potential to disrupt the way energy is generated and distributed, paving the way for more sustainable and decentralized power networks.
Industry Implications
1. Solar Power - The plug-and-play design of Veranda Solar's panels could be a game-changer in the solar power industry, enabling more widespread adoption of solar energy for residential and commercial use.
2. Renewable Energy - Veranda Solar's DIY solar power systems provide an innovative solution for generating renewable energy at an affordable cost, offering disruption potential in the renewable energy industry by empowering consumers to become energy producers.
3. Home Improvement - Veranda Solar's snap-together solar panels present an opportunity for disruptive innovation in the home improvement industry, as it allows homeowners to easily install and integrate solar power systems into their homes, reducing reliance on traditional energy sources.
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