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REVIEW article

Front. Energy Res.
Sec. Solar Energy
Volume 12 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fenrg.2024.1417511

A Succinct Review of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) Analyses, Challenges and Prospects of Solar and Wind Tree Technologies for Hybrid Power Generation

Provisionally accepted
Kumaresen Mohanaravi Kumaresen Mohanaravi 1Mahendran Samykano Mahendran Samykano 1*Prof. Adarsh Kumar Pandey Prof. Adarsh Kumar Pandey 2Muhamad M. Noor Muhamad M. Noor 1Kumaran Kadirgama Kumaran Kadirgama 1
  • 1 Faculty of Mechanical & Automotive Engineering Technology, University Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah,, 26600 Pekan, Pahang, Malaysia
  • 2 Research Centre for Nano-Materials and Energy Technology (RCNMET), School of Engineering and Technology, Sunway University, No. 5, Jalan Universiti, Bandar Sunway,, Petaling Jaya 47500, Selangor Darul Ehsan,, Malaysia

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    The increasing global demand for sustainable energy solutions has underscored the urgency of exploring renewable resources. Among these, sunlight stands out as a vast and essentially limitless source. This study examines innovative technologies including solar trees, wind trees, and hybrid solar-wind trees, which represent pioneering structures designed to harness renewable energy for diverse applications. Solar trees mimic natural foliage, featuring artificial structures adorned with solar modules to convert sunlight into electricity, offering promising prospects for sustainable urban landscapes. In contrast, wind trees are metallic arboreal forms housing micro-wind turbines and solar panels, exploiting both wind and solar energy, particularly suited for residential use. The integration of solar and wind technologies into hybrid trees ensures a consistent electricity supply day and night, throughout the year. These compact and cost-effective tree-shaped structures exemplify a new paradigm in renewable energy generation, promoting energy security, climate resilience, and economic prosperity. The review includes a comprehensive SWOT analysis, examining strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats associated with solar, wind, and hybrid trees while considering sustainability aspects. This analysis provides foundational insights for renewable energy researchers, particularly those focused on hybrid wind and solar power systems, to develop optimal configurations. The review also discusses challenges such as land use requirements, aesthetic considerations, and public perception, offering recommendations for future research directions in this burgeoning field of sustainable energy technology.

    Keywords: SWOT analyses, Renewable Energy, Solar tree, Wind Tree, sustainability

    Received: 15 Apr 2024; Accepted: 08 Jul 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Mohanaravi, Samykano, Pandey, Noor and Kadirgama. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Mahendran Samykano, Faculty of Mechanical & Automotive Engineering Technology, University Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah,, 26600 Pekan, Pahang, Malaysia

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.