SOLAR ATTITUDES
NO PLUG NO PROBLEM
Solar energy is getting a bad rap lately, in part because even in the face of a climate crisis, ROI remains a main driver of its use. More likely, it’s the mega installations, deemed inefficient, that evoke the wrath of would-be experts.
But we’re not here to debate that. This is a time to be giddy with all the goodies presented at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, billed as the world’s most powerful tech event, with more than 4,000 exhibitors, from startups with mind-bending ideas to global brands unveiling their latest.
We’re talking about a transparent TV, which LG says will be available later this year; masks made for privacy, but that includes, ironically, an advertising screen; a self-driving baby stroller; C Seed’s folding TV, tons of AI and WeHead (google it).
Capturing the energy of light was a wide array of useful gadgets that have the potential to bring solar energy closer to the people and make it feel essential again.
Roads that charge electric vehicles on the move are becoming an intriguing reality. For most of us, though, battery angst is about our devices. Ambient Photonics showed up with a solar cell the startup says will keep our devices going, as long as there is ambient light. If you’re old enough to remember calculators with charging panels, you get the idea, only with more power. Now, it’s about never having to look for new batteries for the remote.
Also grabbing all it can from the light around us Swedish startup Exeger. It is partnering with the likes of Adidas, Philips, and 3M to bring its patented Powerfoyle to market in a range of devices. It claims its lightweight, energy-converting material is the only fully customizable solar cell in the world, meaning it can be used in almost anything you want to power up.
It is intrigued with solar-powered headphones for all sorts of uses, including as protection in noisy work environments, and a bag made of Powerfoyle that charges devices dropped inside.
Squad Mobility traveled from the Netherlands with (not in) its solar-powered car, The Squad.
Style-wise, it’s shades of a Smart automaker’s little bug of an EV, and can be charged when there’s not enough sunshine to keep it going.
Marketed as a “city car,” the optimum weather takes you around 30 kilometers, or 19 miles on a single charge. You’ll be zooming along between the lights at a top speed of 40 km/h (25 mph). It even comes in a choice of two- or four-person models, and the company says there’s a lot of interest from the commercial sector, like service and food delivery providers.
In Europe, it costs about €8,500 and is probably best suited there. But the news in Vegas is that it’s headed for the U.S., where it is expected to sell for $6,250. Keep in mind that the price excludes sales tax, as well as options like air-conditioning and doors.
