This project was part of the Sustainable product and service design module at Aalto University, in collaboration with Jun Jonghoon, Meri Lundahl and Ulpu Kojo . The aim of this project was to come up with a new and innovative use for paper. The client was Finland's largest paper producing company, UPM.
Our team proposed some services and the systems that support them to implement the idea of the 'Photovoltaic Paper'. It is a technology that is being heavily researched and the market also has small scale working prototypes that are not too expensive, for individuals to purchace. It is a paper that is made up of multiple thin layers of coated chemicals and can be used as a solar panel. We researched the technology, feasibility and made a paper prototype. We also found a working cell to show how it functions.
Our working paper prototype of the 'Photovoltaic Paper'
Our two ideas were to replace the bill boards in Helsinki with this paper so that as much electiricy is not wasted in lighting up advertisements either on the roads or at the bus stops and make a portable, modular paper panel (that is very light) that can be used to chage cellphones, laptops or other such gadgets when one is on
the move.
the move.
How the 'Photovoltaic paper' can be used to light up advertisement panels at bus stops
The 'eco-system' diagram of how these ideas would work if implemented (stakeholders, process etc.) that I had designed
