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Pre Pandemic, I used to travel a lot. There was precious little I loved more in the world than hopping on a plane and just going to a random place. It was the source of lots of daydreaming with my ex’s of where could we just hop on a plane to go to. While I’m not really a sun worshiper by any stretch of the imagination, I do love to be any place that has the sun present. (Which basically never happens in Ireland) Something that’s always crossed my mind in airports or in bars when I’ve been low on battery is what would life be like if we could just utilise the sun to fuel everything around us.
Imagine a life where; you go to a cafe with your electric scooter and it charges in the sun while you’re outside, the cafe itself is air conditioned and run by the solar panels it has upstairs. You charge your phone outside for the scoot home using the solar panel on your power bank. All through the natural presence of the sun. There are solar options that are not reliant on the sun itself but the UV rays that are then picked up by the panels and then is used to power your home. It’s currently what I have in my home!
Solar solutions have been something that has always interested me, and I’ve been keeping an eye on the market for how we can covert the things around us into something that is more sustainable and better for our planet overall.
Saving the planet one power pack at a time
It would be completely understandable to think that we haven’t quite hit the technological level to be able to harness the power of the sun properly, or that you would need to buy it from a speciality store. But that’s not true anymore. The same way that hand-crank flashlights have existed in mountain and hiking shops for years, they can now be found in bike shops and sports shops. The same is happening with solar options.
You can get a Powerbank on Amazon for only $34
Image Source: Android Central
To begin, utilize a portable battery pack with a built-in solar panel, or panels, giving your more space and more area to soak up those rays. Whether your traveling or just hanging out, a solar bank like the Tekpluze 30,000 mAh is an easy recommendation for your everyday carry. There are several advantages to employing a battery pack that can be recharged by the sun. Because contemporary phones have enormous batteries, a high-capacity battery pack will allow you to recharge your phone numerous times, even when the sun isn’t shining.
Solar Power Only
Image Source: Anker
While panels like the Anker 515 don’t have power banks too them. But unlike their power bank brothers, they do not have a power reserve to store any excess charge that they get throughout the day. These panels tend to be quite large in nature. You wouldn’t be able to squeeze one into a pocket or into a small bag. However, their waterproof and shock proof nature makes them perfect for outings where you are staying stationary, like camping, or for large gatherings.
I’m on a boat!
Image Source: Jackery
One of the things that caught my eye recently was a Linus Tech Tips Video where they outfitted a houseboat to be completely solar-powered. While an expensive endeavor at $3000 USD, it is a complete system from Jackery. The Explorer 1500 and the SolarSaga 100 has a battery and compressor with 4 solar panels. The combination which is able to power appliances and other household electronics using its battery bank that also has outlets that can be customized to the right voltage for your electronics. While the initial cost upfront has a big barrier to entry, for those who live alone or in small accommodations this might be a way to never have to pay for an electricity bill again. Which to me would be worth its weight in gold.
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