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A new solarpunk artwork has got a little bit of a debate going. The image (shown above) by Jared Koh is a rural scene with solar farms, biophilic structures and at its centre two cyclists charge their electric cycles from a tree.

We shared this piece through our social media channels and a debate grew in the comment feeds. The majority of people loved the style of the artwork as whole but were divided about a tree being used as a charging point. Some said the idea could never work, a couple thought if it was just a charger that looked like a tree it would be OK, while others thought it was great without expressing any reservations.

Then the Substacker rovin shared this really interesting Dezeen article adding extra food for thought. It’s about how Bio-designer Lucia Giron has recently co-created an algae based battery which harnesses the power of photosynthesis to create electricity.

She developed the prototype with the University of Cambridge’s Department of Biochemistry and engineer Lifu Tan. The team’s hope is that these plant power cells will one day replace chemical batteries that currently power things like remote controls and smoke alarms, causing a lot of environmental harm through their mining and disposal.

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The biocell has a cool-looking leaf vein design and the interior is exposed within a clear casing. Giron said to Dezeen this is because;

“The algae need access to light in order to photosynthesise….The transparency [also] allows people to see the living system inside, which hopefully creates a sense of curiosity and connection with the process happening within the cell.”

What do you think of Jared Koh’s artwork? Do you dig the idea of a tree charger? What about the rest of the vista he depicts?

How about the algae battery developed in Cambridge? Is this solarpunk to you?

Let us know in the comments below.

Solarpunk trees that charge bikes?🌳

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