We spend most of our time talking about solar panels that install on rooftops and ground mounts. But as The New York Times reports, another market is gaining traction: solar for mobile devices. The paper says mobile solar chargers have been on the market for a while, but form and function – and price – have been a constant issue. Plus, battery life for devices continues to improve, making thin-film solar chargers seem obtuse. But that’s all changing.
The paper quotes Christopher S. Norris, CEO of Alta Devices, which already provides the military with mobile solar charging:
“When you really make a meaningful difference in how long the battery lasts or how something gets powered, these can become very high-adoption-rate markets,” said Christopher S. Norris, Alta’s chief executive. Given how many devices need charging, he said, “these things begin to become billion-dollar markets in a very short amount of time.”
Alta disclosed in March that it had reached 30.8% solar cell efficiency from the company’s implementation of a “dual junction” technology. Higher efficiency directly translates into more electricity generated from smaller surface areas, and the company says this applies to consumer devices, including smartphones, keyboards and remote controls.
Still, bloggers have expressed concerns about the usefulness of the chargers. CNET’s Jessica Dolcourt wrote about and reviewed several solar chargers and said:
“In the end, having an extra solar cover (in addition to a conventional charging port) may have some practical and earthly benefits if you’re an outdoorsy person who doesn’t mind topping off your phone a bit at a time.”
Rather than retreat, inventors and engineers are making headway in producing better devices. One such developer is Don Cayelli, who started a Kickstarter campaing to raise $30,000 to develop the SunVolt Portable Solar Power Station, which would start at $100 for the 10-watt model. He’s since raised $67,014. On a clear day, he says a SunVolt will charge multiple devices with the same speed as if they were plugged in and charged from the wall.
Among those already in the market is thin-film module manufacturer Ascent Solar, which launched last year a charger for the Apple iPhone 4 and 4S. “Ascent’s EnerPlex line is focused on providing millions of smart phone customers with a product that prolongs battery life, increases mobility and allows them to be ‘green’, all without adding significant size or weight to the phone,” said CEO Victor Lee in a release. A video of the company’s product is below:
And on a larger scale, The Times reports charger maker Goal Zero will double sales to $60 million this year. In a press release, the company positions its products as a means of sustainability in times of disaster: “As families, businesses, schools, and emergency shelters in these areas organize their emergency kits this season, Goal Zero is eager to announce the availability of its new Yeti 1250 Solar Generator Kit.” The company says the Teyi 1250 portable recharger can power a laptop for 30 or more hours or keep a full-sized refrigerator cold for about a day.
Solar-charging products are available on numerous websites. At BestBuy, the Kiwi U-Powered Solar and USB Portable Charger is a top hit. The product, manufactured by Kiwi Choice, provides a recharge capacity of 2000 mAh and 11 connecting tips for $59.95. It’s utility has not been verified by this blogger (but it looks cool).
Most of the time, we expect to plug in our devices, our cars, our lights, our planes. But maybe not forever, thanks to mobile solar chargers.
Thomas Murphy says
Right ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GO SOLAR! (it will save America)