I'd love to see this designed so that it could be placed in a window,
with the sheet hanging outside below the window. Then even
apartment dwellers could use it.
Sometimes I come across a promising new technology that feels like it can’t seem to come soon enough for people who may need it most.
Take for instance the GSR-110B, a retractable mobile solar power system showcased at the Photovoltaic Power Generation Expo held a couple weeks ago in Tokyo, Japan. The prototype, designed by Japanese tech firm OS, combines flexible amorphous solar cells from Fuji Electric Systems with a battery unit to deliver 40 watts of power for a wide range of electrical needs.
Tapping into energy solar energy involves simply pulling out the sheet and positioning the unit in a spot where it can absorb sunlight. The ultra-portable power unit weighs in at under 6.5 pounds and can be set up quickly, making it ideal for emergency situations where utility power is knocked out, such as the unfolding catastrophe caused by a 9.0 magnitude earthquake that rocked Japan last week.
“This unit can power a netbook PC for about two hours. Two units can also be used together, to deliver 80 W. But you do need to bear in mind that the power output depends on the weather,” Kentaro Kenzaki, a sales manager at OS told DigInfo TV.
The mobile solar power station costs about 60,000 yen and the company hopes to sell 10,000 units in 2011. An initial shipment was sent out to customers at the beginning of the year.
To learn more, watch this demonstration video:
Photo: OS Co. Ltd
(via DigInfo TV)
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