Solar generators don’t exactly have the reputation of being pretty. I mean, those panels are quite an eyesore, really. For utilitarian purposes, though, we can’t hate — they’re awesome as awesome gets. We guess somebody decided solar power can be easy on the eyes and built themselves a gorgeous Glass Orb Solar Energy Generator to prove it.
Looking more like a piece of art than an eco-friendly power source, that giant ball of glass is actually a full-fledged solar generator, soaking in the rays of the sun just like those Spinray Deckpowers installed in your energy-efficient home. Plus, doesn’t it look just like one of those prized pieces of technology supervillains will use to take over the world? Yep, doesn’t get any better than that.
Made by André Broessel, the Glass Orb Solar Energy Generator isn’t just eye-candy, of course — it’s incredibly efficient as well, posting 35% better performance ratings than your standard photovoltaic cell. For use, the spherical sculpted lens can be paired with a fully-rotational optical tracking system that allows it to find the optimal angle to face for maximizing sunlight.
Oh yeah, and this thing isn’t even at it’s prettiest yet. In fact, it’s only one of the few prototypes developed so far, so expect it to look even wilder (we want dancing lights all over it, please) if the final product ever materializes. While a fragile glass generator like this probably isn’t the most feasible, the idea appears to be to use it as a platform to develop smaller, less danger-prone systems, like a small spherical solar generator you can keep by the window or something.
You can see the complete set of photos over at Design Boom.