The UK upped its solar cred by unveiling the country's first-ever solar-harvesting bus shelter. Made of photovoltaic glass, the Canary Wharf bus stop converts sunlight into 2,000 kilowatt-hours of power a year, enough electricity to power a home.
The structure was designed by Cambridge-based startup Polysolar in a joint project with landscaping company Marshalls. Polysolar is an innovator of clear photovoltaic panels that look like normal glass and operate with greater efficiency than typical solar arrays, especially in low and indirect light.
"The solar bus shelter provides not just a demonstration of the functionality, performance and aesthetics of our PV glass but represents an important application innovation," said Polysolar Founder and CEO Hamish Watson, in a press release.
The company hopes to increase the integration of glass photovoltaic panels into more everyday buildings and street canopies.
Bus Shelter Provides Enough Renewable Energy To Power A London Home [PSFK]
Wi-Fi Bus Stops and Wired Phone Booths: The Future of the Digital City [Curbed]
Here's What Happens When Architects Design Bus Stops [Curbed]