GoSolarLife, a Phoenix-based solar technology company, has introduced a range of portable solar panels that could prove useful for certain broadcast applications.
They are created with lithium-polymer battery technology and are described as compact, durable and weather-resistant. Folding thin-film flexible solar panels let a mobile user “cut the cord.”
Weighing in at about 40 ounces including battery and accessories, these solar-based charging packages pack into a letter-sized portfolio to fit in most laptop cases.
“When someone’s in the field, they may not have access to their vehicle or an A/C outlet. When the battery is dead on an important piece of equipment, they’ve got to pack it in for another day, which can be extremely costly in time, travel and lost revenue,” said Glenn Schulke, CEO of GoSolarLife. “We believe that solar chargers combined with new battery technology will become a standard for anyone using electronics in the field.”
Using solar panels during the day to provide a constant charging source for the batteries, the batteries store, regulate and condition the power to the connected devices. The user plugs the device into the external battery pack for clean power to a laptop, cell phone, two-way or satellite radio, GPS receiver or other personal electronic devices.
Even for heavy uses such as a laptop computer, thecharged high-capacity lithium-polymer batteries can provide up to seven hours of additional battery life once the sun goes down, the company says. This is in addition to the computer’s internal battery life.
The 6.5W and 12W solar chargers feature voltage regulators to charge smaller devices such as cellular and satellite phones, iPods, portable GPS units or digital cameras. Thirty-watt solar chargers are recommended for most broadcast and commercial laptop use, due to higher power drain with heavier usage. Multiple units can be connected together to increase output.
