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Art & Energy: breathing new life into solar design
Projects

Art & Energy: breathing new life into solar design

Art & Energy CIC partnered with Fab Lab South West at Arts University Plymouth in Plymouth, South West England, to explore how photovoltaic panels can be cut, engraved and artistically finished without sacrificing performance. The collaboration demonstrates how creative technology can accelerate public acceptance of green infrastructure by making it desirable as well as functional.

The project

Art & Energy is a collective of artists responding to the climate emergency. Their vision is for city regions to host beautiful green technologies that generate clean energy and reflect local culture. Working with Fab Lab South West, the team set out to move beyond uniform black rectangles on roofs and towards creative solar installations that people want to live with.

The approach

  • Glass mark-making for PV: In collaboration with Fab Lab South West, the team researched controlled cutting, engraving and other mark-making techniques on glass photovoltaic panels.

  • Craft + digital manufacture: Lead technical researcher Ian Hankey (master glass craftsman) combined traditional glass processes with digital subtractive manufacturing to produce test panels suitable for performance evaluation.

  • Componentry & materials: The Fab Lab also helped develop componentry to utilise electrical output from the artworks, and began researching bio-resins as a potential replacement for glass in three-dimensional objects.

  • Independent testing: Panels were tested by Dr Katie Shanks at the Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter.

The results

  • Performance maintained — and sometimes improved: Testing demonstrated that while some mark-making reduced efficiency, other surface-etch treatments maintained or increased output, with lab tests on selected panels recording up to 106.8% efficiency.

  • From R&D to commissions: Art & Energy have since brought solar panel artworks to market, delivering commissions and running educational workshops in the marking and cutting processes.

Why it matters

  • Design for adoption: Aesthetic, place-specific PV can speed public acceptance of clean energy infrastructure.

  • Low-carbon innovation: Combining craft and advanced manufacturing unlocks new applications for solar in heritage, placemaking and public realm projects.
    Skills & ecosystem: The project exemplifies the role of a specialist arts university lab in convening artists, engineers and scientists to deliver practical climate solutions.

Partners & credits

  • Art & Energy CIC: Chloe Uden (Director), Naomi Wright (Director)

  • Fab Lab South West, Arts University Plymouth

    • Ian Hankey, Lead Technical Researcher

    • Ben Wheeler, Technical Researcher

    • (Historic Impact Lab collaboration: Ben Mundy, Knowledge Exchange Coordinator)

  • Environment & Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter: Dr Katie Shanks (testing)

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