An impressive "tree" offering shady seats beneath a canopy of solar panels aims to bring solar power to the masses by offering citizens a place to recharge their mobiles, cameras and i-pods.
Who has not run out of battery at that crucial moment when you need to text someone to say you'll be late? Serbian NGO Strawberry Energy has come up with a remarkable solution: the Strawberry Tree. This pretty installation several metres high offers a bench to sit on next to charging cables hooked up to solar panels overhead providing pleasant shade from the sun.
The goal is to install four of these public solar charging stations in city squares and parks in Serbia, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Mobiles, i-pods, and cameras can all be recharged free-of-charge and the Trees come equipped with Wi-Fi. The aim is to let people see for themselves what solar power can do and raise awareness about sustainable energy.
TV, newspaper and radio campaigns are onto the project. The first Strawberry Tree was installed in Belgrade's municipality of Obrenovac in autumn 2010. A relatively small place, the organisers counted their 10,000th charging in the first 40 days. "For many people this was the first time they have heard of renewable energy," the NGO says. The next Strawberry Tree openings are scheduled for spring 2011.
