Ra
Self-powering illuminated solar design
How does it work?
A solar light that captures, stores, and generates light indoors. It captures energy from the sun while it hangs outside the window during the day and provides sunshine to houses at night. Ra uses organic photovoltaics, a third-generation solar technology that is printed on thin foils and is produced in a circular manner. The energy captured by Ra is stored in an integrated battery that powers an electroluminescent paper, making the work less than 1mm thin. In the evening, a glowing ring proudly displays its captured energy in the form of light.
Why is it needed?
173,000 terawatts (TW) of solar energy strike the Earth at any given moment, according to physics professor Washington Taylor. This is more than 10,000 times the world’s total energy use during the same period of time. To put this into perspective, the world’s population currently consumes roughly 23,900 terawatt-hours (TWh) of power each year – most of which is generated by fossil fuels (The Eco Experts). In short, we need more and new ways to access the untapped amount of solar energy.
How does it improve life?
Inspired by the ancient Egyptian sun god Ra, who was seen as the creator of the sun, the work is powered by sunlight. Ra turns solar energy into a form of art.