Natural power for your high-tech devices

You can start to look for products, and little patches of products, that will supply you and your high-tech devices with power in exactly the way that leaves generate electricity from chlorophyll.

These products have been a long time in development, but are now just about ready for release. They use dyes in the same way that leaves use chlorophyl to generate power from sunlight, except that instead of powering a tree or other plant, these new man-made products will supply electricity for use by humans. Think of them as very light-weight power plants that you can take with you anywhere that there is sunlight (the brighter the better) or even fluorescent light if you happen to be indoors.

This new technology uses a photosensitive dye to start its energy production, much the way leaves use chlorophyll to begin photosynthesis, according to a New York Times article. For devices like e-book readers, the cells might normally be found in thin, flexible panels stitched into the reader’s cover. But the panels can also be manufactured into new lines of backpacks and sports bags, from where they can recharge small electronic devices like cellphones and music players inside the bags. The products, which are based on scientific work originally completed in 1991, will begin to see initial public product introductions in 2010.  That is a long development cycle, but one which will pay off in the long run.

Because they are so flexible, these panels are expected to appear in many kinds of cases and covers for items like cameras, cell phones, and e-readers, some from the device manufacturer and some from aftermarket suppliers. Aftermarket bags are expected to cost anywhere from $100 to $250, depending on the size of the bag and the amount of charging area on the surface. A few such bags are already available and the number and variety will increase during the first quarter of this year. Economies of scale and market competition can be expected to drive the price of the bags down over time.

• 

• WePOWER turbines power projects from Epcot to Times Square
• PhoneSuit introduces the Primo Power Core for multiple devices
• Solar power goes big box at IKEA
• Blue popcorn makes solar power cheaper
• Sunrgi technology expected to result in $.05 kWh