Solar flashlights prove tremendously valuable
This New York Times article about a U.S. businessman who gives out solar-powered flashlights in Africa demonstrates again the potential of solar technology when combined cleverly with energy storage. This is in no way a groundbreaking product, and it’s not going to save the world from global warming, but this simple device goes a long way toward solving many problems in refugee camps and small villages with no access to light during the evening. The flashlight, which charges during the day and can last a whole night, provides security against thieves and animals and allows nighttime activities — anything from reading to just plain socializing. It’s nice to see such simplicity have such an impact. Hat tip to my buddy Mark Evans for pointing this out.
Tyler Hamilton is senior energy reporter and columnist for the Toronto Star, Canada's largest daily newspaper. In addition to this Clean Break blog, Tyler writes a weekly column of the same name that discusses trends, happenings and innovators in the cleantech market. This blog is a personal project started in April 2005. It is not an official blog of the newspaper. Tyler can be reached at tyler@cleanbreak.ca