SkyShades has indicated that Powerbrella will be available by third quarter this year.
Powerbrella incorporates the lightweight Power Plastic (from Konarka) on the surface of SkyShades’ retractable and fixed architectural Skybrella. It provides customers coverage from the sun while that energy is used to power their laptop, cell phone or other portable devices.
It is designed for use at outdoor venues such as cafés and restaurants, hotel and resort swimming pools and outdoor lounges. Other likely applications include covered car parking areas and car wash facilities where power captured by the Power Plastic panels could be sold to the electrical grid.
According to the latest update, reported by Palm Beach Post, the Powerbrella will be available, complete with outlets to plug in a laptop or recharge a cellphone. The technology is also being used to light up parking structures, shared SkyShades executive vice president Joe McKenna.
Florida-based SkyShades, which specialises in membrane fabric structures, had entered into a technology partnership with Konarka Technologies last year.
Towards the end of March or early April, SkyShades had received its first shipment of Konarka Power Plastic thin film in order to begin mass production of Powerbrella.
Testing on the Powerbrella took place throughout 2008 at Lake Highland Preparatory School in Orlando.
Recent Comments
Start the Conversation!