Today, we’re going to go back to the Consumer Electronics Show to take yet another look at the latest in green hi tech gadgets. We’ve already seen energy monitor gadgets and an electric bike from CES 2010; today we’ll look at going green with a couple of pretty slick new solar chargers.
ReNu solar charging system
The first of these is the ReNu solar charging system from Regen, which won the top prize in the Consumer Electronics Association i-Stage competition in October 2009. The ReNu is a device with a 6-watt solar panel and an integrated rechargeable lithium ion battery. The battery charges in 7 hours if exposed to direct sunlight outdoors, and in 14 hours in direct sunlight indoors. It also holds enough energy to fully charge an iPhone battery 2 times, and can charge an iPhone fully in 1.5 hours through its built in USB charging port. What is particularly cool about the ReNu is that it has an optional docking station that will accommodate an iPhone or iPod and allow you to sync with a computer while it is being charged. The dock can also run off power from a wall outlet if desired. The ReNu is expected to be available in June 2010 for $199, or for $249 including the iPod dock. Other accessories, including a fancier audio dock with speakers and an LED desk lamp, are expected to be available later in the summer.
Freeloader Pro solar charger
If you are looking for a slick solar charger that is available now, check out Solar Power International’s Freeloader Pro, which was also a hit at CES 2010 and just became available in the United States. Like the ReNu, the Freeloader Pro comes with solar panels and a built-in rechargeable lithium ion battery, but in a smaller package (0.4 pounds vs. 1.1 pounds) with a smaller capacity (1600 mAh vs. 4000 mAh) and a lower price (around $100). It charges in 7 to 9 hours when exposed to direct sunlight outdoors, and comes with a bunch of charging tips for everything from iPods and iPhones to a wide range of cell phones and anything that takes a mini USB adapter. Probably the coolest feature is that it comes with a “CamCaddy”, which is a special adjustable battery charger that can charge just about any camera battery. So, if you are a photographer or videographer out in the field, away from an electrical outlet for an extended period of time, this gadget could be an option for you to charge your various camera batteries. If you need your batteries charged even faster, you can get an even larger solar panel called the Supercharger Pro to charge the Freeloader Pro in half the time.
One question that is useful to ask is: What do I do when the batteries on my solar charger no longer hold a sufficient amount of charge? Fortunately, Solar Power International will take back your Freeloader Pro after 2 years and replace the battery for about $13, and they will recycle the materials from your old battery. Regen does not currently have a take-back service in place, although the ReNu battery is designed to be replaceable. If you’re going to create a green product, you might as well figure out how to have it be green at the end of its life cycle as well!