The scorching summer sun is here. Why not take advantage of it and at the same time reduce your ecological footprint? In a country where people enjoy everything that is free, be it unlimited gravy, complimentary bath products, or freebies from events and purchases, who wouldn’t want to enjoy free electricity from the sun?
Currently, there is already a wide following by Filipinos when it comes to harvesting solar energy. In the hopes of spreading the word on solar possibilities, the official Facebook page, “Solar Power Philippines” was created. With already over 75 thousand members, the group continues to grow and inspire others to invest in solar solutions. Often, setups shared in that group are small to large scale ones that power whole houses or selected appliances. Here, we will look at entry level solar gadgets for the gadget techie.
Breaking the grounds in terms of build and efficiency, Sunpower solar offer one of the most competitive panels in the market. Energyinformative.org rates the typical Monocrystalline panel efficiency to range between 15-20%. Sunpower panels however, average at about 24.1% efficiency. Fortunately, solar panels that Sunpower manufacture are being utilized by other tech brands.
Currently available in in Philippine market are two brands that offer portable Solar Chargers that utilize Sunpower solar panels. Available at Lazada.com, Choetech and Suaoki offer 15-60 watt variants of these highly efficient panels.
The said chargers fold into a size slightly bigger than a notebook which make it extremely portable. For the 15-25 watt variants, a mini smart charge controller with two USB ports is located at the back pouch. Consequently, this pouch can be used to tuck gadgets in while charging.
Choetech and Suaoki’s panel’s aren’t just portable, they’re also very efficient. The smart USB ports located at the back determine the maximum Amps that can pushed into your device and safely regulate the current. With a maximum of 2.4 Amp per USB port, charging your devices with the these solar chargers will be like plugging it into a normal outlet except that you’d actually be charging it for free using the energy of the sun. As long as the panels are directed towards the sun, you can charge any USB powered device you can whether it be power banks, mobile phones, tablets, etc.
Extending the possibilities of portable solar chargers, Suaoki also offers a 60 watt variant with a USB and DC port that lets you charge your laptop.Charging a power bank with these chargers would be a wise choice to consider so you can enjoy free power the panel collected even at night.
The most appropriate of times to use these solar chargers are during camping or beach trips. However, if you’re a frugal person that simply wants to save some extra cash charging your devices, or if you want simply try an entry level solar device that charges your gadgets for free, then investing in these solar gadget would be a great pick.