Summary:

Somerville has added solar power to their town square with the SmartFlower. The solar installation looks more like an art installation, with its floral shape, improving the aesthetics of the town.

Main Article:

Solar Energy in Full Bloom at Somerville’s Assembly Row

These new solar installations are public art and green energy all wrapped up in one.

In between the multiple shops, restaurants and residential spaces, a new factor of sustainability is visible in Somerville’s developing Assembly Row.

At first glance, it may look like a new art installation - a 5-foot tall, large metal flower with 12 petals that open into a 90-degree position at the sight of the sun - but the flower isn’t just there for aesthetics. The so-called SmartFlower contains large solar panels and uses the solar energy to power and assist facilities around the square.

Seeing the overall success and sustainability of the solar company around the globe, Assembly Row general manager Dave Middleton said he knew he had to bring the product to Somerville. Middleton first started talking with the solar company in 2018.

After getting a property sign-off from the city of Somerville, the flowers were analyzed by electrical and building inspectors. After a positive review from these departments, the pieces were installed in fall of 2019.

It wasn’t until spring of 2020, however, that the solar power systems were actually up and running.

“Well, first and foremost, we are always looking for new and interesting things to add to our neighborhood and we got word that these smart flowers were potentially available not just from a sustainability perspective but from an attractive aesthetic perspective,” says Middleton.

The square is now home to two flowers, located on the corners of Assembly Line Park, intersecting Caffe Nero and The Smoke Shop.

The SmartFlower can generally produce up to 40% more solar energy than a traditional solar power system. When night falls, the item folds itself back into starting position and starts to self clean debris and sediment within.

Many members of the public have flocked to see the flowers, deemed a must-see destination.

“The SmartFlowers create the energy to light the public art, but also are in their own way kind of a public attraction, and people can learn more about our energy you know based on that part of the neighborhood,” said Wendy Pierce, president of Goldstein Pierce.

Signs have been installed at each flower to outline what they do and how they came about, said Middleton. The flowers are currently located on a property undergoing development in the next few years, and are easily able to be relocated.

Originally founded in Austria, SmartFlower Solar has been a popular source of energy in Europe. In 2018, the solar company was acquired by Boston-based corporation Energy Management Inc. (EMI). These products are sold to residential, commercial and institutional energy users all over the world.

“We want to make the world a greener place, to bring solar to new heights of technological innovation, and to offer an elegant option to those who believe in sustainability for a better energy and environmental future,” said creative designer Sheen Hui of SmartFlower Solar.

The flowers will remain in the area while Assembly Row is still up and running, said Middleton. They are just a piece of sustainability efforts in the area, including EZ charging stations and LED lighting in garages.

“We hope to achieve [and] continue our sustainability efforts, here at Assembly Row, and as a company,” said Middleton.

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