Much like natural trees, the solar trees provide shelter from the rain, and shade the path on scorching hot days. While silently generating renewable juice the trees add a clever design twist to an often neglected area – the parking lot. Compared to roof mounted photovoltaic systems, solar trees are considerably easier to install – especially if your architecture is more intricate than a square box with a flat roof (the ideal condition for installation). Planting solar trees in the parking lots helped surmount some of the installation challenges. An elegant solution to a tricky problem. 
Will this happen in residential?
Envision Solar, a company developing and building solar groves (for Kyocera among others) is also planning to enter the residential market next year. Solar trees designed for smaller buildings and homes are in the works. Do-it-yourself kits would easily allow two- and four-car solar carports to be transformed into home photovoltaic systems.
Will this add value to your home? The short answer is probably yes but you need an appraiser that is qualified in green properties and energy retrofits to determine value. You can contact the “Green” appraisers at www.socalappraisalserv.com to answer your value questions.
Read more about solar trees at: http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/14/will-solar-trees-sprout-in-parking-lots/
Congratulations to Envision Solar; they are reporting its first quarterly profit, just over a year going public. Read more at: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/aug/17/solar-tree-maker-posts-quarterly-profit/
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