You’ve Snapchatted and Instagrammed. You’ve tweeted and gone live on Facebook at your Carolina Panthers tailgate, but now it’s time to go in the stadium and your phone is dead. Fear not – the eTree is nearby.
Thousands of people pass by Graham and Mint streets in uptown Charlotte on game day, but only a few stop to recharge at the eTree. It’s one of two eTrees in the United States and was installed by Duke Energy in 2015. The tree is formed by solar panels that provide energy to charge your cellphone (you’ll just need your charging cord) and shade to rest on the bench below. Even on a cloudy day, the eTree can power your phone because it’s connected to the energy grid.
Check out this time-lapse video for an eTree-view of the Dec. 11 Panthers game.