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Solar panels capture energy from light and convert it to electricity.   This is the most visible form of energy harvesting, but it is hardly the only one.  Energy harvesting captures energy lost as heat, light, sound, vibration, or movement.  Devices that harvest or scavenge energy can capture, accumulate, store, condition, and manage this energy into electricity for consumption.  That’s important, because our existing electricity infrastructure is extremely wasteful in its use of energy.  For instance, today’s technologies used in electricity generation are not energy efficient.  Traditional gas or steam-powered turbines convert heat to mechanical energy, which is then converted to electricity.  Up to two thirds of that energy input is lost as heat.  Those old incandescent bulbs (technology invented by Thomas Edison in 1879) were real energy losers too.  Ninety percent of the electricity flowing into incandescent bulbs ends up as waste heat. That’s lost energy, which is why smart federal legislation banned incandescents in favor of more energy efficient sources of lighting starting in 2012.

It is important to note is that there is a lot more out there than what we see in the everyday. In fact, you will see here that there are dozens of proven methods of harnessing the power of nature in sustainable ways. Some of the more interesting examples that may be applicable as a medium for public art installations are the translucent thin films which can be flexible and offer interesting hues and textures, piezoelectric generators that capture vibration energy, and concentrated photovoltaics, which allow for interesting play with light. But the possibilities are endless and new designs are coming into the market all the time that can be artistically integrated into beautiful sustainable infrastructure.