Giraffe is a hybrid power plant designed to charge everything from electric vehicles to homes and buildings using energy from wind and solar power. The solution consists of a wooden structure that supports 24 solar panels and a wind turbine mounted at a height of 12 meters. The design was unveiled in 2014 at Asia’s largest design fair—Business of Design Week in Hong Kong.
Giraffe has many applications. It can supply renewable electricity to summer cottages, single-family homes, lighting systems, or for e-mobility. The system can be connected to the grid or used off-grid with a battery to replace a diesel generator, for example. In urban settings, the power plant can be used as a charging station for electric vehicles or at bus stops, or as an educational facility for renewable energy.
The Giraffe has a high energy density thanks to its unique design, which combines solar cells and a wind turbine. The 24 solar cells on the Giraffe are all angled uniquely, allowing for up to 4 hours more energy production per day than standard traditional solar cells. To maximize the output from each individual solar cell, we use microinverters.
The design allows us to fit 40 square meters into a space of just under 24.9 square meters
With its 24 solar panels, the Giraffe has a peak output of 10 kWp, enabling it to generate 10,000 kWh per year in southern Sweden using only its solar panels.
The wind turbine mounted on the Giraffe has a peak output of 5 kW, and at an average annual wind speed of 6 m/s, it generates 10,900 kWh per year.
This results in a total energy production of 20,900 kWh per year.
With energy production operating around the clock, year-round, Giraffen is an excellent option for serving as a charging station for electric cars and electric bicycles. In Karlskrona Municipality, for example, “Energiraffen” functions as a charging station for the municipality’s electric car and electric bicycle fleet, supplying the electric vehicle fleet with locally produced renewable energy.
The wind turbine is certified under all major certification schemes (which qualifies the turbine for all existing incentives and financial support):
The Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) in the United Kingdom
AWEA Certification in the United States
Class NK Certification in Japan
Giraffe 2.0 can generate between 10,000 and 20,000 kWh annually, depending on wind and solar conditions. Energy can be generated 24 hours a day, year-round. The unique positioning of the solar panels enables more stable electricity production and results in higher output both in the morning and in the evening.
The first installation of Giraffe 2.0 took place in Malmö’s Västra Hamnen at the InnoVentum Demo and Test Site for Renewable Energy Technologies. The installation process is quick once all the sub-modules have been prepared (i.e., the wooden frame mounted on the foundation and the solar panels on the arches). Watch the video of the installation below.
The launch event for our Demo and Test Site took place in May 2015.
Wind and solar energy are highly complementary: wind energy is most abundant at night and during the cooler months of the year, while solar energy is available during the day and especially during the summer months.
More factors than just energy availability contribute to this favorable match: air density increases in winter and at night, which boosts the potential for wind power. Furthermore, according to climate studies, the steady and consistently strong winds that contribute most to high wind energy production are common during the winter months.
Hybrid solutions that combine solar and wind energy can provide more stable energy production than solar-only or wind-only installations. This addresses the issue of the sinusoidal production pattern that is common in renewable energy generation. This advantageous combination is the fundamental principle behind hybrid installations such as Giraffe 2.0.
