Levante's portable solar panels:the art of origami

Levante is the startup that has created foldable and extremely high-performance solar panels, to be able to have clean energy always and everywhere.

• Sara Plaga and Kim-Joar Myklebust looked for a solution to a need that emerged several times during their travels:be able to count on self-produced energy.
• The result is a solar panel that takes up 50 percent less space, while still ensuring greater energy efficiency.
• The solution draws inspiration from the modularity of Lego, aerospace technology and the ancient Japanese art of origami.

Foldable and portable solar panels.To be able to have clean energy always and everywhere, traveling driving a camper or sailing the waves on a sailing boat.The Italian Sara Plaga and Norwegian Kim-Joar Myklebust they met 13 years ago during a music festival in Denmark.After living in ten different cities, in 2021 they decided to put their respective professional skills at the service of their shared passion for trips.Or rather, of a need that emerged several times in their itineraries to discover the world:be able to count on self-produced energy to limit waste and your own ecological impact.Thus the startup was born Levant.

Foldable panels that can orient themselves towards the sun

The startup has designed some innovative photovoltaic panels made of carbon fiber recovered from automotive industry waste, easy to transport and install on your vehicles so you can take them practically anywhere.The solution draws inspiration from the modularity of Lego, from aerospace technology and origami, the ancient Japanese art which consists of folding paper and combining various shapes to create countless figures, from the simplest to the most complex.

Referring to the functioning of the photovoltaic panels in the space satellites, the two founders managed to develop an intelligent panel with an innovative design capable of orient yourself towards the sun, with the gender objective, greater energy efficiency;a solution that is both modular and foldable on itself, to occupy approximately the 50 percent less space compared to a traditional panel.In essence, thanks to its design and the solutions adopted, this panel is compact and portable when folded and offers maximum power when open, thanks to the double-sided solar cells;there IoT technology (internet of things) integrated also allows the user to monitor and control it remotely.

How the Levante business idea was born

In their numerous sailing and camper trips, Sara and Kim had noticed how the energy produced by traditional solar panels was never enough to cover their needs, simply because they didn't have enough space to install others.And so they thought of administering a questionnaire to those who shared their same passions.With decidedly interesting results.80 percent of sailors and camper users interviewed felt the lack of energy autonomy as a problem;and 75 percent would have liked to use renewable energy to recharge its batteries, but needed a lot of space to install and transport them:consequently, he ended up preferring to use a classic generator.

The aim is to simplify access to energy

The name Levant it recalls that of the couple's first daughter (Aurora) and, in addition to referring to the sun and the world of sailing, it also means "new beginning", since they both left their jobs as employees to dedicate themselves to this project.Speaking of nautical, from the original concept to the working prototype the product was developed and tested outdoors with the experts of Sailing Uma, to check its resistance to wind, salt water and atmospheric agents.

Levante is part of LifeGate Way, the ecosystem dedicated to supporting and connecting startups sustainable ones that combine the ambition to change the world with the objective of doing so while respecting people.Sara and Kim, in fact, do not only intend to encourage green mobility, but also to enable it access to clean energy everywhere:for this reason they are starting collaborations with some NGOs to test the product in the field in developing countries.Simplify access to energy with more efficient, versatile and accessible solutions, designed according to the principles ofcircular economy:This is the ambition of the startup which, as a benefit company, wants to go beyond the simple marketing of a product, to have a positive social impact for the community.