Korean scientists have designed tree-shaped solar arrays that can make the same amount of electricity as normal solar farms, but without cutting down forests. These vertical structures, known as solar trees, allow 99% of forest cover to remain untouched while still generating clean energy.
Renewable energy projects in South Korea have come with a painful tradeoff. To install flat-panel solar farms, large areas of forest were cleared. Between 2016 and 2018, forest destruction linked to solar projects increased from just over 500 hectares to more than 2,400 hectares. The problem created a deep conflict: how can a country move toward renewable energy while at the same time losing the very forests that fight climate change?
Dr. Dan-Bi Um, a researcher at the Korea Maritime Institute, said “Solar farms do not have to destroy forests,” she explained. “Our study shows that solar trees, when arranged properly, can generate the same amount of energy while keeping the ecosystem alive.”
The design is both simple and clever. Instead of placing heavy solar panels on cleared land, solar trees are built vertically, with their panels stretching out like branches and leaves. These structures are placed about 20 meters apart in forest canopies, allowing sunlight to still reach the plants and animals below. At the same time, the panels above capture enough solar energy to compete with flat farms.
When the researchers compared the two systems, the results were striking. In one simulation, 63 solar trees produced the same 1 megawatt of electricity as a large flat-panel plant. But while flat panels left only 2% of the original forest standing, solar trees preserved almost the entire landscape.
Satellite images show how powerful this change could be. Areas with flat panels appeared barren and gray, even years after construction. In contrast, areas simulated with solar trees looked almost untouched, with healthy green forests still covering the land.
The idea also works in busy cities, solar trees can provide shade for pedestrians, cool down heat-prone streets, and even serve as charging stations for electric vehicles. Some designs already include wireless charging benches and ports for EVs. Researchers say this makes them perfect for controlling two urban challenges at once: energy demand and rising summer temperatures.
“Solar trees can help fight climate change in many ways,” Dr. Um said. “They give us power, but they also protect nature and improve life in cities.”
In South Korea, entire forests were cleared in just a few years to make room for solar projects. Similar stories are seen around the world, from the Amazon rainforest to the mountains of Appalachia. But Korean research suggests that both goals can be achieved together.
By planting solar trees instead of flat-panel fields, countries could meet energy targets without harming ecosystems. Other nations have already started experimenting. In India, the CSIR-CMERI built what it calls the world’s largest solar tree, capable of producing 11,500 kilowatt-hours annually.
Solar trees are more expensive to install than normal panels, and only a few companies currently make specialized parts for them. Shading between the “branches” can also reduce efficiency. But scientists are working on new designs, such as solar trees that rotate like sunflowers to follow the sun’s movement, which could solve these problems.
In South Korea, where land prices are some of the highest in the world, solar trees could eventually save money because they need far less ground space. Experts believe that with subsidies and government support, the technology could spread quickly.
For many people, the biggest advantage of solar trees is not just the energy they produce, but the landscapes they protect. Forests would remain standing, providing hiking trails, bird habitats, and shade, while also absorbing carbon from the atmosphere.
“This is a dual solution,” Dr. Um emphasized. “We do not have to choose between clean energy and a healthy environment. With solar trees, we can have both.”
The findings were published in Scientific Reports (2025) and are now being discussed widely among scientists and policymakers. The study sends a clear message: the future of solar energy does not have to look like endless rows of flat black panels. It can look like a forest, one that is alive, green, and still working for both nature and people.
