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Solar powered charger for mobile telephones seeks local distributorOur mobile communication and entertainment gadgets are great until the battery runs out. And if we get a big enough battery to uphold our busy lifestyle our mobile gadget loses some of its mobility. The answer? Solar powered chargers, about the same size as your mobile, that can be plugged into your unit for a full recharge regardless of where you are, as long as it’s daytime. Man Geun Lee, an engineer from Korea is about to release a range of solar powered battery chargers that charge anything from your mobile telephone, ipod and digital camera, to your laptop and games devices. There is even a stealth model suitable for armed forces who need up to 84watts of power for military electronics. Lee was speaking at a workshop in Melbourne, where forty Australian and Korean companies met today to share ideas, technologies and markets. He is hoping to find an Australian company to distribute and service these products in Australia and internationally. The Korean trade mission, referred to as a Techno Caravan is seeking business and technology matching opportunities with their Australian peers. According to Lee, the biggest difference between these and other chargers that are just now being released on the world stage, although not yet in Australia, is the cost. He says, the Soleitec NU 200 GBS/SBS, suitable for mobile telephones, PDA, camcorders, digital camera and I-pods is expected to sell for about $50. While the Soleitec NU 1200 GBS, suitable for notebook PCs, game players and even portable TVs, is expected to cost about $250. “Other differences include the conversion efficiency or charging time. With a solar cell conversion efficiency of 21.5%, they are about 30% more efficient than their nearest competitors.” This means a Soleitec charger can fully charge a mobile telephone in less than 1.5 hours on a sunny day, whereas a competitive unit would take almost double that time. They are also more robust than their competitors. These chargers are manufactured in Korea using a special non-reflective film over the solar cells that makes it almost impervious to scratches or damage, unlike its rivals, which use highly sensitive epoxy screens. Lee claims that this technology is going to become a way of life very quickly. As our mobile telephones become more function rich they require more power, which increases their battery size, making them bigger instead of smaller. These chargers mean manufacturers can keep their batteries to a more acceptable size. And he believes they will be a popular choice for Australians who love outdoor sports – camping, hiking, skiing, white water rafting, or as an alternative for people who travel overseas regularly to eliminate their requirement for conversion power plugs. “They will free mobile telephone travellers from having to plug into international electricity points, and free the outdoor adventurous type from having to worry about power requirements,” he says. The Techno Caravan has been organised with the support of the Australian Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers' Association (AEEMA), the Korean Industry Technology Foundation (KOTEF) and ITECplace.
For further information: Bill Petreski, General Manager, ITECplace Pty. Ltd., Mobile: (0438) 881 390, Tel: (03) 9458 5800, email: billp@itecplace.com, www.itecplace.com Niall Byrne, Science in Public, Tel: (03) 9398 1416, email: niall@scienceinpublic.com.au Lauraine McDonald , Science in Public, Mobile: (0438) 418 584, email: lauraine@scienceinpublic.com.au Man Geun Lee, Soleitec, Tel: +82 42 864 444, l-mg@soleitec.com |
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