You would think that a Solar Flashlight would almost be an oxymoron, but this SolarLite holds a single charge for over 3 years. The 1W 2X LED has 11 years of burn time and 16 hours of light. Because this 2-pack comes fully charged, they can be kept in a drawer or glove compartment. The company promises that extreme temperatures will not affect operation and each 14 x 7 x 2" flashlight is both waterproof and floats.
One of the standouts of the last week's CES 2012 was the SolarKindle, winner of the Innovation Award. SolarFocus' flexible leather e-book cover has a solar panel built into the cover and a built-in LED reading lamp that is good for up to 50 hours after a full charge. It also features a dual-charging USB/solar battery that, under normal sunlight, will produce about 3 months of Kindle 4 usage when unplugged. When on the go, one hour of sun produces 3 days of reading.
Don't hold your breath waiting for that solar cell phone. Nokia recently completed a study and tested 5 of them in different areas and climates. Some of the results were obvious, as those used closer to the equator worked better. The greatest charge occurred in Kenya while the Artic Circle needed the phone's user to constantly seek the sun. The smaller phones had less efficient solar panels and the angle that the light entered them made a difference as well.
Place this Solar Kitty Bobblehead on your desk or car back window and we promise it will either amuse you entirely or drive you crazy. At a size of 4 x 4.5", the front solar panel collects its energy.
There is also a Solar Bunny available for those who are early Easter shopping. Hit the link for even more cutesy solar bobbleheads.
While not strictly to tradition, (menorahs are used with fire as the source of light,) Woodstock, New York is once again making news as it becomes the home of the first solar menorah. Meant to raise awareness of Chanukah, Rabbi AB Itkin designed the candleholder from spare parts. It was on display in the city's Village Green for all eight nights where Rabbi Yitzchok Hecht declared, "the concept of taking the energy of the sun and using it to bring light into the darkness of night is a beautiful complement to the miracle and story of Chanukah."
Even robots come solar as evidenced by this Solar Robot Kit. After building, the 8.2 x 7.2 x 15.5" T3 can transform into a tank, robot or scorpion. There is no soldering needed and as long as there is sunshine, he will keep truckin' on. For those who prefer speed, the Solar Bullet Train has 18 parts that snap together and needs only 4 screws. There are 2 cars that attach to the engine and it runs without rails.
There will be no more batteries to hassle with once you get this Casio Ana-Digi Solar Sport Watch. It features dual time, power saving function, 12 and 24 hour formats, stopwatch, alarm, auto LED light and low battery warning. The timepiece is water resistant up to 165 feet and a men's version is also available.
What looked like a no-go solar project is now back on with a private equity loan. This should be just the boost the flailing industry needs as Solar City will place power systems on 120,000 homes on military bases. They got the funding for the project dubbed SolarStrong from Bank of America Merrill Lynch after failing to acquire a loan from the DOA, partially due to stricter restrictions placed post Solyndra. Although the total amount was lessened by 40,000 homes, the project will create at least 300 megawatts of power and thousands of jobs during installation.
We don't know why we like the idea of a 50 foot airborne Solar Bag, we guess it may have something to do with our inability to fly an ordinary kite. Whatever the reason, you can get your very own, wait for a sunny day, fill it up, tie the ends and the solar beast will rise within 5 minutes. It is also possible to cut it down and make several smaller bags.
Holiday time is here and as you are busily filling up your gift list, save on cost and the planet with the Solar 11-in-1 Battery Charger. True to its name, it charges 11 different NiCd and NiMH battery sizes (AAA, AA, C, D and 7 GUM sizes.) The adjustable top lid and bottom allows optimal sunlight and a blocking diode prevents discharge.
We cannot say enough about our personal changeover to eneloop batteries. We use our Flip (now defunct) camcorder constantly and in the space of about 3 years, have only recharged about 5 times. That's a lot of planet saving for very little coinage.
In the national scheme of things, one in 4 lacks electricity and, with the recent disasters, millions more are without a home. IndieLabs' LuminAID is an inflatable bag with solar-powered LED inside. After a 4-6 hour charge, the bag is inflated and switched on. Users get 4 hours of bright light or 6 on low. Pledge one for $25.00 and another will be sent to you as a thanks. Hit the link to contribute to the community project.
GE has built a better mousetrap solar system that they claim reduces the $6.50 per watt cost to a mere $3.00. Charlie Korman of the NY Global Research Center says that solar panel arrays are currently high-voltage systems that involve using equipment to switch it to a 120 volt current. Their solution is to create panels with socket ready AC current. This means the system needs only a standard installation kit, takes half a day to construct (as opposed to 2 days) and uses 60% fewer components.
A prototype has been constructed by the team and GE plans to build a new plant near Denver, CO to manufacture the new panels. This means that more jobs will open up for those who specialize in research and those seeking manufacturing employment. Kudos to GE for investing in the clean energy despite setbacks and bankruptcies of other solar companies.
Canada's Solar Ship may not replace the Goodyear Blimp, but it can fly after being filled with helium. Solar panels, like on the the Impulse, or onboard batteries car power it up. More importantly, if it had a leak and was air-filled only, it could still land safely. A 33 ft. prototype has already been tested and the company sees the airship as an aid for disaster relief, transferring medical supplies and environmental monitoring. We're thinking that the military would have limited usage, but you never know.
There are many solar chargers on the market today but this is the first we have seen with bragging rights. Changers Starter Kit includes a "Kalhuohfummi" battery and "Maroshi" solar module and can be attached to any window or placed on a sunny space. It can generate up to 4W per hour to keep your USB devices going after a 4 hour charge. With free software, users can then upload how much power they generated on the company's online energy marketplace. You get rewarded with credits for green products for every watt you save. The kit is priced at $149.00 and is available for pre-order now. Shipping date is November 15.
The Solio Bolt is for those who are constantly on the move and often forget to charge electronic devices like smartphones, eReaders, cameras, GPS units and MP3 players. The company claims that families in Kenya power their entire home with one. Using an included USB charging cable, it will hold a charge for up to a year with its 2000mAh rechargeable/replaceable battery and can handle at least two devices at a time. You can also charge it via the sun or AC adapter (sold separately) and the solar panels rotate for ease of usage.
Solar Flashlight Holds 3 Year Charge 
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