If you’ve been thinking of installing solar panels in your house but have been holding off because of the cost, Veranda Solar, a start up company founded by two recent Stanford University graduates, may just be what you’ve been waiting for.
The two graduates – Capra J’neva and Emilie Fetscher – created and produced flower-shaped solar panels that can hang out your window or clip to gutters and balconies as part of their Masters project.
Easily installed, each panel can work as an individual unit or can be snapped to other panels for greater effect. Add in a solar inverter that plugs into a wall socket and you’re good to go.
The direct current (DC) electricity that is collected by the solar panel or panels will pass through the solar inverter and turn into alternating current (AC) electricity that can be used in the electric grid.
Veranda Solar won second prize at the PICNIC Green Challenge last year which netted them 100,000 Euros to help them get up and running but they are still in the fund raising stage of business. Once funded, they plan on manufacturing and marketing these new look panels, selling each for around $600.
A starter solar system that expands as your budget does – what more could you ask for? Hopefully, we’ll be seeing these panels on the market later this year.
Image: Matt McGee