Cornell University’s bio-inspired HelioSkin wraps stadiums and buildings to produce photovoltaic energy

Cornell University is not the first name you think of when it comes to innovation. While Harvard is still dealing with the ever-changing political fallout over a certain president’s stance towards higher education, a team at Cornell has developed something truly spectacular that is straight out of an Iron Man movie. The team has created a new type of solar panel that is made from fabric and not the clunky and unappealing solar panels that we have come to expect. And the practical applications of this new HelioSkin are endless.

The team drew from nature to get their inspiration for HelioSkin

Rarely are we able to make a statement like that. Science imitating nature? That’s a stretch. And stretch indeed is what the new material being developed by the team at Cornell University can do. We have become accustomed to the large solar panels that are dotted around the world, but this new invention has the potential to change the energy sector entirely.

The material draws its inspiration from sunflowers. A special material in the fabric can track the sun’s movements and adjust to position itself in the best possible direction to receive those yummy rays of sunshine. Among the eggheads leading the team are a number of the world’s premier experts in the field, namely:

• Jenny Sabin
• Cornell University professor of physics, Itai Cohen
• Associate Professor in the School of Integrative Plant Science, Adrienne Roeder
• Arizona State University professor Mariana Bertoni

“Tracking the light is really efficient. We know that benefits sunflowers. It enhances their growth to be able to track the light, and so we want to capture that for solar cells. In HelioSkin, we have a morphing skin that can do some light tracking to get that increased efficiency.” – Associate Professor in the School of Integrative Plant Science, Adrienne Roeder

The team is aiming for both large-scale and smaller-scale implementations

The goal at first was to allow the HelioSkin to be used on large, industrial-type buildings where solar panels are hard to install. The theory goes that the building in question is simply wrapped in HelioSkin, and then the magic takes over. However, it will not be limited to large-scale projects, and the team has plans to roll out a three-year plan to develop the HelioSkin for mass production and sale to the public.

The team plans to start by testing the material on a large outdoor canopy and then proceed to smaller structures, with the end goal being every house in the world becoming entirely self-sufficient as far as energy needs and production. The material is made of a fabric underlayer topped with a tesselated mechanical “bio-inspired” skin. Photovoltaics in this second layer would lead the material to follow the sun as it moves across the sky.

“Sustainability is about performance and function, but equally, it’s about beauty and getting people to get excited about it, so they want to participate. The grand goal is to inspire widespread adoption of solar for societal impact.” – Jenny Sabin

Solar energy can become the most effective form of energy production

The news of the HelioSkin innovation is a welcome sign of how the times, they are changing(Bob Dylan voice). The advancements in solar technology have propelled the HelioSkin into science fiction territory. But this is not a story from Star Wars about some hairbrained invention that only makes sense in the movies. This is a real innovation that has the potential to revolutionize the entire energy sector. What would be better than a stylish fabric that envelopes your house and provides clean, sustainable energy for all your needs? Count us in.

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