Darren Saravis at TEDxSoCal

Decked in t-shirt emblazoned with the slogan "I'm a polluter," Nectar CEO Darren Saravis appeared at TEDxSoCal to present his vision for the one-of-a-kind SolarFlora, a solar-paneled sculpture that melds public art with renewable energy for the public good. In his speech, "The Art of Solar Power," Saravis traced his personal and professional journey toward creating the SolarFlora, and painted a picture of a future in which solar power is not relegated to remote expanses but is enmeshed within the fabric of daily life.

"When we conceived of the SolarFlora we saw it as a form, an artistic vision and a symbol, a message that sustainability can be beautiful," Saravis said. "But the solar flora is more than art."

Addressing an enthusiastically receptive audience, Saravis explained the capabilities of the graceful plant-like SolarFlora, which harnesses solar energy to generate up to 1.2 kilowatt-hours of electricity per day, enough to charge several dozen laptops and provide lamp-light for parks and plazas.

Saravis was featured at the TEDxSoCal event — a local version of the esteemed TEDTalk format – along with more than a dozen other luminaries in a variety of fields, including famed marine conservationist and oceanography pioneer Sylvia Earl. His talk is available on the TED website at tedxtalks.ted.com.

"I've learned that we can generate electricity and activism at the same time," said Saravis in closing, "and with SolarFlora I feel like with we've planted the first seed. Now I'd like to toss these seeds into the wind. And I hope they'll spread."

To learn more about the SolarFlora, visit this page