At the Green Bay Botanical Garden in Green Bay, Wisconsin two solar photovoltaic array exist that look like flowers. The 4.2-kilowatt system shaped like two giant, sculptural sunflowers, were built in partnership with the Northeast Wisconsin Technical College. The College wanted to create a unique demonstration project to support its training programs regarding the design, installation, operation, and maintenance of photovoltaic systems.
The two systems’ arrays rotate throughout the day to maximize the amount of energy absorbed from the sun and its conversion into electricity. Since January 2008, the “sunflower system” has generated about 5,312 kilowatt-hours of energy, equivalent to roughly $530.00 and reduced carbon dioxide emissions 3,718 kilograms. The flowers were installed in August 2007. In December, the flower PV arrays won an award for environmental design from the Mayor’s Committee for a Cleaner and More Beautiful Green Bay.