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SOLAR ARK: World’s Most Stunning Solar Building

inhabitat.com — Sanyo has built an ark for the solar century – an impressive 630 kW solar-collecting building that boasts over 5,000 solar panels and kicks off over 500,000 kWh of energy per year. Even more outstanding is the fact that most of the monocrystalline modules used on the Solar Ark were factory rejects headed to the scrap pile.

Who dugg this? Made popular Jan 15, 2008

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52 Comments

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  • BoneStamp, on 01/15/2008, -0/+18That looks really cool and demonstrates that solar panels can be a part of building architecture without detracting from the structure's aesthetics. Of course, this structure only generates power. On the other hand, if it didn't look so cool (arched cantilever design, cool lights at night), it could probably be larger and produce more power for the same investment, but I suspect it is more of a marketing project that will generate sales rather than energy.
  • FoxOrian, on 01/15/2008, -1/+10Even if it's more of a marketing ploy, I applaud their intelligent use of "rejected" panels, rather than just tossing them.
  • GemStar38, on 01/15/2008, -0/+6Making lemons into lemonade... how sweet. Really I think it is an impressive piece of architecture.
  • inactive, on 01/15/2008, -0/+4Thats amazing piece of science! Just brilliant.
  • AlienMushroom, on 02/21/2008, -0/+4Didn't we just digg this like last week?
  • FoxOrian, on 01/15/2008, -1/+4Or you're missing the point and didn't read the part where these panels were rejected and destined [at most] for recycling. Now they're doing something better than nothing.
  • cha5e, on 01/15/2008, -0/+2Hmm...I'd love it if I could look out my window everyday and see a triumph of engineering that is helping to reduce pollution.
  • Claverhouse, on 01/15/2008, -0/+2You are a man of taste and discernment, effendi. How about a small game of cards ? An interminate number of houses against my $10,000 or $10.
  • gkrat, on 01/15/2008, -1/+3every repost is a repost repost
  • 93TILL503, on 01/15/2008, -0/+2I remember building this in the original Sim City.
  • iDgg, on 01/15/2008, -1/+3REPOST
  • GeneralKickass, on 01/15/2008, -0/+2Time to fill it up with two of each species and flood the planet.
  • Ebulating, on 01/15/2008, -1/+3500,000 kWH/year is only 57,000 watts average. In no way, shape, or form is this a cost effective way to generate electricity.
  • Flyan, on 01/15/2008, -0/+2Great way to look at the situation :)
  • dvsbastard, on 01/15/2008, -0/+1No saying Moses was... ummm... intentional... honestly...

    Ahhh, forget it... I screwed up... I think I need sleep! :(
  • Berkana, on 01/15/2008, -0/+1***** you.
  • Telexen, on 01/15/2008, -0/+1Gorgeous.
    Makes me want to buy a Sanyo TV....
    Wait...my last tube TV was a Sanyo and it was a POS. Damnit.
  • garfonzo, on 01/15/2008, -0/+1that's why I came to the comments, to write what you just wrote.

    Sometimes I wonder if we diggers are like goldfish a bit.
  • D3koy, on 01/15/2008, -0/+1Things like this warm my insides...Maybe some day every building will have solar panels like this and it won't be so amazing...That day can't come too soon...
  • cha5e, on 01/15/2008, -0/+1Yeah, I went past it on Shinkansen on my way from Tokyo to Osaka in 2005 and was floored by it.
  • FoxOrian, on 01/15/2008, -0/+1In the second picture, is that someone's house? Imagine living next to that thing, damn.
  • neio, on 01/15/2008, -0/+1Those wacky Japanese, love 'em
  • onionlayer, on 01/15/2008, -1/+2It's from a different site than the original, does that still make it a repost?
  • ersatzphi, on 01/15/2008, -1/+2solar banana
  • unitedstatians, on 01/15/2008, -0/+1http://www.digg.com/environment/The_World_s_Cooles ...
  • HonestAbe, on 01/16/2008, -0/+1Japanese energy usage is 6 kW per person, so 630 kW is 100 people. For the record.
  • citruspastels, on 01/15/2008, -0/+1well it is big if that's what you mean by stunning.

    cool science though. gotta love solar energy!
  • KOAS, on 01/15/2008, -0/+1Wow! I'm in Japan now and went past this a few days ago on a Shinkansen!
  • britoca, on 01/16/2008, -0/+1those panels aren't placed at the right orientation, Solar panelling effectiveness depends on the cosine of the angle of incidence. By being so tilted off the solar perpendicular, it's really just for show above all.
  • mondoman89, on 01/15/2008, -2/+3i'm pretty sure this was dugg a week ago
  • notoneofus, on 01/15/2008, -0/+0As long as I could run an extension cord off the solar grid, I wouldn't complain.
  • flashgordon1987, on 01/20/2008, -0/+0Amazing! Inspiring!
  • captscott, on 01/15/2008, -2/+2interesting.
  • megaC126, on 01/15/2008, -0/+0I though this was about using a magnifying lens to burn Joan of Arc.... You know, Noah's wife.
  • phantasyhero, on 01/15/2008, -2/+2Buried, this was on the front page of digg about a week ago.
  • captscott, on 01/15/2008, -2/+2interesting
  • animal71, on 01/15/2008, -0/+0Moses? Do you mean Ed Moses?
    Or Noah?
  • ictharus, on 01/15/2008, -0/+0parry-riposte has always worked for me
  • Vaelroth, on 01/15/2008, -1/+1Buried for this reason.
  • Souda, on 01/15/2008, -1/+0Wow...That`s very impressive building
  • wallaby3, on 01/15/2008, -1/+0This is the shape of things to come! (maybe not literally banana-shaped, but you get my drift). As the price of solar panels comes down and fossil fuel prices continue to rise, there will be more of a financial incentive for developers to put panels all over the facade and roof of a building. It will also get them great "green" publicity, and soon everyone will be building in a greener way. Hooray!
  • Doublee3, on 01/15/2008, -1/+0Err... 1000 of my houses sorry... i should have gone to bed a while ago... this is very embarrassing...
  • Schneckehaus, on 01/15/2008, -2/+1If the wind blows, that thing is comin down.
  • Doublee3, on 01/15/2008, -1/+0Hmm, i just had a bad dream that i was making a fool of myself on digg... Oh nuts... Well the number I'm really trying to say is 685 of my homes... I hope I'm not digging myself any deeper with this comment...
  • Doublee3, on 01/15/2008, -1/+0make that 12.5 of my homes... sorry... it' would be nice if solar cells would be practical for most people to cover their roofs to supplement grid power. Solar panels are getting cheaper every year... now i sleep...
  • dvsbastard, on 01/15/2008, -2/+1Moses would be proud... Now to get two of every animal on board...

    OHHHH... It's not that kind of ark! :(
  • salmagundii, on 01/15/2008, -2/+0Its a giant solar powered penis! Does it shrink in the cold?
  • Doublee3, on 01/15/2008, -3/+0Hmm 500,000 kWH per year... That produces about enough electricity for my house (on average)... I'll stick with my coal for now.
  • Lowrads, on 01/15/2008, -4/+1Lol, Wang Biruding.
  • inactive, on 01/15/2008, -4/+0what a friggen eye sore. I'd be pissed if they put that up near my house.

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