Solar power is on the rise in America. Recently, new laws were passed in California that requires new construction homes to include them. The public is becoming more interested in how they can save money by using this renewable source of energy. And, solar panels are becoming cheaper even as the technology behind them improves. However, there is a gap that exists in our everyday gadgets and solar — iPhones.
Now, iPhones don’t take a that much energy to charge. A usual charge for a cell phone takes between 2 and 6 watts. So, a relatively small amount of energy is needed to power a whole lot of cell phones. In fact, a solar energy company, Greenshine New Energy, did an amusing analysis that found that if Rhode Island was completely full of solar panels, it could power over 200 billion iPhones in just one day. It is unlikely that we’ll get to that level of energy generation just for our phones, but there are some cool solar gadgets that allow charging.
But is it worth it?
There are many factors that play into the answer for that question but two of the main ones are cost and usefulness.
Solar tech gadgets for iPhones can be expensive. Since there isn’t a real option for a solar powered iPhone (there are reports of one, but it starts around $4,500), the next best option is a solar powered phone charger. There are plenty of options for these, and most are around $20 on Amazon. Considering that iPhones do not take much power to charge, it may take a long time to recoup the money spent in the electricity bill savings. But, the device is not all that expensive to begin with which helps negate the price factor.
So if price isn’t a much of a factor either way, that leaves whether or not it’s useful. Generally, this type of gadget can come in handy more than you think. If you’re into outdoor activities like camping, it can be a lifesaver. Additionally, it can offer opportunities when traveling. Because it has two USB ports, it offers charging solutions for more than one device at once.
Solar technology continues to develop and is starting to emerge for mobile gadgets. While we might still be far off from having phones themselves that are solar powered, there are new gadget technologies hitting the market every day. If you are interested in having a portable solution for charging, a solar powered one is the way to go.
