In Austin, Texas, SunFlowers, an Electric Garden has been completed, becoming the largest public art installation in the city.
The Electric Garden is comprised of 15 flower-shaped photovoltaic solar panels that line a pedestrian and bike path on the greenbelt between a retail lot and highway I-35.
The energy that the panels collect during the day is used to power SunFlowers’ stunning blue LEDs, which illuminate the path below for bike-riders and walkers, and generally beautifying the area. An extra 15 kilowatts generated each day is fed back into the grid and used offset the costs of operation and maintenance.
Harries/Héder, designer of the work, said the structures can be “a highly visible metaphor for the energy-conscious city of Austin.” Because each one is a working solar collector, the art piece is both emblematic and functional.
