Sunlight equals electricity. Think about that; how awesome would it be to just use the sun for everything that we plug into the wall in our house? While moving entirely to solar power (or any alternate energy) can be a daunting task, we can take little steps now to improve our power sourcing situation. So, if you want to line your roof with solar panels; you rock – go for it! But it you’re not quite ready to jump headfirst into the solar pool, you can get started today on a smaller scale with a portable solar charger.
Quick: do a mental inventory of your electronic devices. A lot of them are probably plugged in for at least part of the day, right? Well, what if a few of them were not always plugged into the wall, but into a solar charger? Even if you just pick your favorite device, maybe for you it’s your phone or tablet, and just plug that into a solar charger. Now you’ve eliminated that energy use from your traditional power – and decreased your power bill (slightly, but hey every little bit counts)!
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Solar Power to the People
Here’s my personal choice for a phone-sized solar panel / charger:
I’ve had this charger for almost a couple of years now. It’s about the size of a smartphone, easy to carry around, and also has a built in flashlight if you happen to need it. I was primarily using it with an old phone that wouldn’t hold a charge. It was great for that purpose of keeping my phone constantly plugged in, whether we were inside or outside. Now that I have a new phone, I haven’t used it as much, but my goal is to actually have it be in a window and collecting energy during the day. Then I can plug something into it to charge at night. That may not seem like a lot, but all that energy adds up over time – and so will the savings on your electricity bill.
If you’re more of an outdoors type, you may also like this one:
I like the whole “hang it from your backpack and be a mobile electricity gathering unit” feel that this charger gives you. It’s made with outdoor activities in mind, so it’s rugged and tough. Technically, it’s just slightly more powerful than the one I own, but the fordable panels allow for faster charging.
Solar Panels Palooza
Ok, if you want the big boy set, this one’s for you:
Even More Solar Panel Power
Once we get into panels that more than “I just want to charge my phone” size, you’ll need both a solar panel and an power bank. There’s tons of options depending on your needs. If you just want something to power a laptop and maybe a speaker, you can use a smaller set, like the 60W solar panels and the 150W or 200W power bank. But, for more substantial power needs, crank it up to the 100W panel and the 500W power bank.
Sure, these are awesome renewable energy power sources when you’re camping or at an all-day soccer tournament, but don’t forget you can use them around the house too! Like with the phone chargers, if you can find a way to keep the solar panel in a sunny window, you can get free sustainable electricity from the sun. Then use it as you wish inside your house.
Ready for more power? Sustainable renewable power, that is! Are you already a solar pro? Let us know in the comments how you’re putting that free electricity from the sun to good use with your own solar panels. And speaking of that big ball of fire in the sky, check out our post on how to get started air drying clothes and skipping the dryer. Finally, to make sure you’re not missing out on any sweet updates, pop your email address in the form below. See you soon!