Fractal solar panels: Optimizing aesthetic and electrical performances

Abstract

Solar energy technologies have been plagued by their limited visual appeal. Because the electrical power generated by solar panels increases with their surface area and therefore their occupancy of the observer's visual field, aesthetics will play an increasingly critical role in their future success in urban environments. Inspired by previous psychology research highlighting the aesthetic qualities of fractal patterns, we investigated panel designs featuring fractal electrodes. We conducted behavioral studies which compared observers' preferences for fractal and conventional bus-bar electrode patterns, along with computer simulations which compared their electrical performances. This led us to develop a hybrid electrode pattern which best combines the fractal and bus-bar designs. Here we show that the new hybrid electrode matches the electrical performance of bus-bars in terms of light transmission and minimizing electrical power losses, while benefiting from the superior aesthetics of fractal patterns. This innovative integration of psychology and engineering studies provides a framework for developing novel electrode patterns with increased implementation and acceptance.

The Potential of Biophilic Fractal Designs to Promote Health and Performance: A Review of Experiments and Applications

“…They cover the panels with camouflaging louvers which match the panels to their surroundings [89]. In contrast, rather than neutralizing their visual impact, our Inspired by this strategy of combining aesthetics with other favorable functions, a psychology-engineering project recently incorporated fractal aesthetics into solar panels (Figure 14) [87]. Because the electrical power increases with the panels' surface area, the associated increase in visual impact will be critical for determining their success [88].…”

Aesthetics and Psychological Effects of Fractal Based Design

“…Furthermore, fractal patterns have the prospect of altering more than just the aesthetic experience of a given object (Juliani et al, 2016;Taylor et al, 2018;Abboushi et al, 2019;Roe et al, 2020;Spehar and Stevanov, 2021). Fractals can be installed into larger Euclidean spaces to mitigate the effect of unnatural spatial frequency content that can lead to visual strain and discomfort (O'Hare and Hibbard, 2011;Ogawa and Motoyoshi, 2020).…”

“…It is hypothesized that both of our rating scales will be able to identify consistent variations in the psychological effects of the various fractal design patterns, thus providing evidence of robust response patterns across measurement types. The goal of these studies is to establish an empirical basis for the optimal selection of fractal designs to meet varying psychological and aesthetic needs of a space (see Roe et al, 2020, for another example of this approach) by explicitly identifying whether general fractal preferences extend to more complex man-made fractal patterns and additional dimensions of psychological judgments. Finally, our results from subgroup analyses will guide the selection of specific fractal designs that balance various pattern factors (including D-value and arrangement) in order to benefit the most occupants possible without negatively impacting subgroups.…”

Investigation of Fractal Carbon Nanotube Networks for Biophilic Neural Sensing Applications

“…Investigations of fractal conduction effects induced by electrons scattering off device walls and material impurities [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ] inspired simulations of conduction through fractal circuits. The proposed practical examples of fractal circuits include solar panels [ 5 ], retinal implants [ 6 , 7 ], and transistors [ 8 ]. For the latter case, electrostatic gates were used to deplete regions of the circuit, and the subsequent re-routing of current displayed highly non-linear changes in the conduction.…”