Tapping the Sun To Recharge Devices

  • By Dian Schaffhauser
  • 08/31/10

Voltaic Systems' Switch Solar Bag can charge a phone in four to five hours.

A photovoltaic company has introduced a new line of portable solar chargers for handheld electronics. Voltaic Systems' $129 Switch Solar Bag is a travel bag with enough room, the company said, to hold a Kindle, a camera, and a phone, with room to spare. It weighs a little less than a pound and a half.

Two 2 watt solar panels can charge a typical phone with four to five hours of sun exposure, the company said; one hour of sunshine can charge a phone for about three hours of talk time. When not in the sun, the battery can be charged using a USB power cable that comes with the bag or an add-on AC travel charger or DC car charger.

The company's $99 Amp Solar Charger is a standalone charger that has room for carrying the adapters a user would need to charge devices. The $129 Fuse Solar Charger connects to a knapsack, bicycle, or other object to provide solar and battery power.

Each of the units comes with an 11-watt hour lithium polymer battery pack designed to charge from solar and outfitted with an integrated USB port as well as nine standard adapters to connect the device that needs charging to the battery pack. The cases use waterproof, UV-resistant fabrics made from recycled soda bottles.

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • AI-powered individual working calmly on one side and a burnt-out person slumped over a laptop on the other

    AI's Productivity Gains Come at a Cost

    A recent academic study found that as companies adopt AI tools, they're not just streamlining workflows — they're piling on new demands. Researchers determined that "AI technostress" is driving burnout and disrupting personal lives, even as organizations hail productivity gains.

  • three silhouetted education technology leaders with thought bubbles containing AI-related icons

    Ed Tech Leaders Rank Generative AI as Top Tech Priority

    In a recent CoSN survey, an overwhelming majority of ed tech leaders (94%) said they see AI as having a positive impact on education. Respondents ranked generative AI as their top tech priority, with 80% reporting their districts have gen AI initiatives underway, or plan to in the current school year.

  • blue AI cloud connected to circuit lines, a server stack, and a shield with a padlock icon

    Report: AI Security Controls Lag Behind Adoption of AI Cloud Services

    According to a recent report from cybersecurity firm Wiz, nearly nine out of 10 organizations are already using AI services in the cloud — but fewer than one in seven have implemented AI-specific security controls.

  • lightbulb

    Call for Speakers Now Open for Tech Tactics in Education: Overcoming Roadblocks to Innovation

    The annual virtual conference from the producers of Campus Technology and THE Journal will return on Sept. 25, 2025, with a focus on emerging trends in cybersecurity, data privacy, AI implementation, IT leadership, building resilience, and more.