The Western Kentucky Botanical Garden’s Smartflower has arrived and will be unveiled and dedicated on Monday, November 13, 2017, at 1 p.m.
WKBG Director Susie Tyler says the Smartflower is a milestone. “Our Smartflower represents a strong stand for conservation and education,” Tyler said. “It is a first, but not the last, solar initiative for The Garden.”
A Smartflower is a fully integrated, all-in-one solar system that produces clean energy. Power harnessed by the Smartflower will augment electricity needs in The Garden’s Educational Classroom and its production will be tracked by a nearby monitor. As the sun rises in the morning, Smartflower automatically unfolds, directs its solar modular fan toward the sun, and begins harnessing electricity.
The Garden’s Smartflower is the first purchased in the state of Kentucky, according to Tyler.
This inaugural solar project at The Garden is made possible by the Charles D. Ralph Estate and the Charles Mason Ralph Fund at the Community Foundation of Louisville.
Casey Electric LLC of Tell City, IN is the Indiana/Kentucky Smartflower distributor and installer.