Earth Tech Products is a cool online store that offers a number of eco-friendly solar options for a wide array of uses. Recently, I was viewing their online selection and came across the Solarflat 1.8 Solar Car Battery Charger. I have to admit, the premise is definitely promising. I have had instances where I’ve gotten out of work and gone to start my car and got nothing. That can be a pretty frustrating experience, which is why I recommend AAA, but I digress.

The solar car battery charger is designed to function seamlessly in overcast conditions due to an amorphous thin solar film. Not only does the film maximize output, it also contains a special UV inhibitor that protects it from heat damage. The unit itself, is 14”x5”x0.6” and mounts via suction cup to your windshield, includes 10 ft. cables as well as battery clamps and a warranty package. This is one of many dynamic promotional products featuring some of the latest solar technology.

Source: EarthTechProducts 

When it comes to external lighting fixtures, there are many different options. Whether you choose fixtures that hang, drape or stake, there are many stylish solar powered options that will save your wallet as well as your planet. Utilizing new LED technology, these fixtures maintain a bright glow from dusk to dawn. One of the best aspects of utilizing solar power is that you don’t have to understand all the technical ins and outs, just the benefits.  

In addition to solar hanging lights, Global Merchants also offer a number of other solar options including flashlights, radios and even coolers. If you are interested in solar power, or want to explore a variety of interesting solar products Global Merchants has got everything you need. Well, as long as you aren’t looking for Orovo detox or other health supplements Global Merchants has everything you might need in regards to solar power.

Source: Global Merchants 

Is there anything more frustrating than being out somewhere and running out of battery power for your phone, iPod or laptop? Well, there is no need to worry anymore. Voltaic solar backpacks are absolutely incredible. These backpacks are the most powerful solar generators in their class. Utilizing lightweight, tough, waterproof panels, this backpack can generate enough power to fully charge a standard laptop.

Not only does the bag include a battery pack to store surplus energy, it also includes a slew of adaptors for common cell phones, laptops and USB ports to name a few.  If the premise of a solar powered backpack isn’t cool enough, the pack is also made from recycled materials for a true “renewables” product, just don’t spill your Starbucks coffee on it!

Source: Voltaicsystems.com

San Diego will be ground zero for 2008’s Solar Power Conference and Expo. The conference will have over 400 exhibitors as well as 60 plus conference sessions featuring up to date market date, policy, technology breakthroughs and industry information. The conference is a must for those with a professional interest in solar energy.

Many of the themes will focus on concentration of photovoltaic’s, solar thermal electric and solar hot water.  The conference will also feature industry leaders who will be available to discuss how to boost market development and reduce technology costs.  The conference will begin October 13^th and run all week through the 17^th. With beautiful weather almost always in the forecast in San Diego, be sure to remember your golf bags.

Source: SolarPowerConference.com 

Having done a bit of research regarding various solar applications, it was really enjoyable to find an application so close to one of my own hobbies, boating. Unbeknownst to some, there have been many solar powered maritime expeditions over the last few years. 

The Swiss crewed TransAtlantic21 (Sun21) was the first solar powered vessel to cross the Atlantic. Departing Seville in southern Spain, the Sun21 traveled nearly 7000 miles to arrive in Miami, FL 117 days later.  With a journey similar to that of Christopher Columbus, the Swiss crew desired to change people’s mindset about alternative energy in the same fashion that Columbus did with his proclamation that the world is in fact round. Who knows, there mat be a good chance of signing up to be a part of one of these solar cruises in the near future.

Source:SolarNavigator.net

I write another blog from time to time called Maven Mapper’s Information – the Light and Maven Mapper’s Information – The Dark.  The purpose of the latter is to talk about technology that doesn’t quite work or preferably to talk about technology that could work if it just had that certain something.

This evening I wrote an article inspired by a trip to a very cold and chilling movie theater.  I came up with the concept that a vest with a built in heater (already exists today) could be powered or have the power replaced by solar energy.

The vests that exist today are typically powered by a 9 volt battery, not the most efficient power source or battery these days kind of like the eca stack of power consumption. 

But consider backpacking or spending some time out of doors during the day where a solar battery could be charged based on solar cells in your backpack or sewn into your jacket or clothing.  Then as the temperature starts to drop that power collected could be used to heat up your clothing, your jacket, your boots or even the liner of your sleeping bag at night!

Maven Mapper’s: Temperature Sensitive and Self Adjusting Clothing

You may recall that I was lamenting about not seeing very many solar power products at the consumer electronics show in Las Vegas a couple weeks back.

I was more likely to see gold bangle kitch and light up rubber balls as freebies than solar power panels at CES.

Well, there were a few products there and one of them that really caught my attention would probably fall under the category of a solar product that is used to power another device that has a primary purpose other than solar energy.

In this particular case I’m talking about an outdoor WiFi router powered by solar energy.

Let me state up front that I’m not just talking about a single router that you might stick in your house to power your laptop while you’re working in the living room. I am talking about an outdoor WiFi network that you can utilize along with your neighbors to establish a network that covers your entire neighborhood. This particular solution comes from a company called Meraki ( www.meraki.com ).

I plan to establish a network to cover the lake cove behind my house next year so that I can work wirelessly anywhere in the cove.

They will soon be coming out with one of their outdoor products that will be powered by a solar panel. It’s not available yet, but I will keep you posted as soon as it is available on the market. Now in addition to the high level of utility that they provide with outdoor wireless networks, I might mention that their prices for their products are relatively inexpensive. Their outdoor wireless routers cost about the same amount of money as your average indoor wireless router, and these are designed to work with multiple routers and establish a mash of WiFi connections!

Solar Wireless Router | Solar powered WiFi Router by Meraki

Well, I have to admit that I did not find terribly many solar power products at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week.  I frankly expected much more.  I did find a few and will cover those soon, but I expect mountain loads of materials on new solar powered products and the reality was closer to speed bumps instead of mountains. 

There were far more LCD panel televisions and small business phone systems, and iPod knock offs, and did I mention lots of televisions? 

Anyway, I will still source a number of great new articles as I head into 2008, just as soon as I get back from the Red Eye trip I am taking tonight.

This week I am attending the Consumer Electronics Show

(CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada.  It is the Super Bowl of the electronics industry, and people come from around the world to display their goods and view what will be offered up this year in retail stores around the world.

Yesterday I took care registration matters and took a brief walk around the show and today I will be diving in to review the latest in solar product offerings for gadgets, home products.  If I have time, I may even take a look at some of the solar powered devices that are being implemented in automobiles and even boats.

Where I am from, and North Carolina, we are going through a drought, and there’s not really a lot of water to use a boat on so more people are considering a boat donation as opposed to cavorting on the lake in the sun.  I suppose donating your boat to charity is just as good as leading that set out back of your house and slowly fade away while the lakes dry up and we run out of water.

So anyway, I apologize for digressing, a recovering quite a number of products this year, and I hope to kick it off by identifying what products will be hot or useful this year in solar energy.  Any readers are attending the show, please feel free to reach out to me any exhibitors attending a show I definitely take a look at the products are offering, so feel free to contact us here at the solar Gold Mine Digest.

When you hear the words “Solar Power” what do you think of? The first thing that comes to my mind is generally one of two things, solar panels on someone’s roof or those little calculators I used in high school algebra. Well, there have been a number of extensive innovations in the industry since the early to mid 90’s, and an equal number of cool new solar powered gadgets.

I came across a number of websites while researching solar technology that offer a variety of useful equipment and tools that utilize solar energy. In this day and age where, we as a society, are trying to limit our carbon footprint and impact on the environment, why not make gains wherever we can? Even if these gains are miniscule, like a solar powered lawnmower or a solar battery charger, how can anyone resist some of these cool new gadgets?