casual solarpunk reminder: solar panels that output USB power are cheap AF these days.
USB power banks are also cheap AF these days.
ever thought about combining the two? might save needing a charger at work, if you live/work/commute somewhere/somewhen reasonably sunny.
just sayin'.
ยฏ\_(ใ)_/ยฏ
@LexYeen I'm not sure that would turn an energy profit over its lifetime when compared to the energy cost of owning another piece of manufactured goods.
Good if you do a lot of camping, though.
@apLundell If you spend a lot of time on a bike or on foot in a reasonably sunny environment, I don't see the harm. It's less power being drawn from the grid, it's a cheap enough solution that anyone with a smartphone ought to be able to afford it, and with a bit of electronics know-how the components can all be repurposed for other projects later.
It's only "less power" after you get past the original energy debt spent in its original manufacturing, raw materials procurement, etc.
I'd love to know the math for that, but my instinct is that a solar usb isn't going to pay for itself.
I could be wrong, like I said, I don't know the math.
@apLundell I wish I could think of a less aggro way to say this, so please don't take it personally, but: I am less concerned with the kit paying for itself than I am with reducing grid reliance as much as possible on a consumer level, and to establish to the public at large that Yes, Solar Can Do Useful Shit.
Oh! I thought we were talking about reducing energy use for, you know, global warming or environmentalism, not for preparing for hurricanes or power-grid doomsday.
Sorry to have interrupted. Carry on.
@apLundell Perfectly alright! ๐
I came from less of an emergency-prep angle, but I can certainly see the usefulness of more distributed small-power during one. ๐๐
I'm a huge proponent of small-solar in general, is all. Self-powered attic vents, carrying a panel and a battery around during the day, building a solar-powered Raspberry Pi e-book server to put up for community use in your window, little things like that which anyone can do to reduce grid load and/or improve quality of life.