You could call it a giant flower, or a solar microgrid, or an art installation in front of Bishop James Mahoney High School. It’s actually a project that is the first of its kind in Canada. The Smartflower Microgrid is collecting solar energy through its panels in the shape of flower petals, which follow the sun throughout the day and fold in at night, or when it’s really windy.

The technology is from Siemens Canada. Its President and CEO, Faisal Kazi, hopes this project will encourages students in the STEM classes – Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. He also believes having this grassroots green energy project is one way to help us reach carbon neutral quicker. Kazi believes if you teach students how this works, it will empower them as adults to install technology like this and make where they live net zero. He says, “It is very rewarding to see young people excited about working with these technologies in the classroom and using the knowledge to make their own homes and communities sustainable”.

The Smartflower MG Project is a partnership of the Saskatoon Industry Education Council and Siemens Canada. The Executive Director of SIEC, Janet Uchacz-Hart says the resounding success of this pilot project has paved the way for more installations across Canada.

Program lead of the Health and Science Academy at BJM, Andrea Regier, says this project teaches the students the science behind the Smartflower, but teachers are also working it in to other areas of the curriculum. For example, in Social Studies, students can look at how businesses work together to reach a common goal.

A timelapse video of the SmartFlower opening and closing can be found by clicking here.