The Renewable Energy Blog

• @joannayoung Tea is Great! Assam, Darjeeling, Ceylon, Kenyan, Java, Nepalese = yum! in reply to joannayoung #
• Are CFL light bulbs really dangerous? If not handled safely the mercury in them can be. #

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• Is it any coincidence that OPEC suggested oil should be $70 per barrel and the price has reached that mark? Manipulation of supply & demand #
• How to make solar power afforable for the common homeowner? Any ideas? #
• Poughkeepsie celebrated its first Fourth of July in 25 years. I mixed it up with the balloon festival fireworks. #
• Next for Google? PCs! #
• @Disney_Monorail You really should post a photo or avatar in reply to Disney_Monorail #
• @girljournalist I think my chickens would take offense to that! They’re pets anyway-they have nothing to fear but cats, hawks and coons #

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I’m a huge fan of rechargeable batteries. I’ve been using them since the late 1980s. At the time, it was to keep from spending enormous amounts of cash on batteries for my boom box. Now I use them in everything I can. And rechargeable batteries have come a long way since Ni-Cad (nickel cadmium) batteries were introduced. I’ve since graduated to NiMH (nickel metal hydride) for my portable electronics that use standard size batteries like AAA, AA, C, and D.

Whenever possible, I choose electronics that actually use standard size batteries, particularly my digital camera, a Fuji Finepix S1000, which uses 4 AA batteries. This means I can keep 2-3 sets of rechargeable AAs hanging around ready to go as back up. Of course, this doesn’t preclude me from using regular, one-shot batteries. I keep those in case of emergencies and for my smoke detectors!

Rechargeable battery packs aren’t new. I have one for my Dell Inspiron 1000 laptop. However, finding a quality, universal rechargeable battery pack isn’t easy. And you still have to plug them into the grid. What about accessing a renewable energy source directly, like solar? (a wind powered portable charger would be an interesting feat of technology!)

Now, I haven’t purchased a personal solar charger yet. I find that when I’m on the go, in the middle of the day, I’m not going to be in the position to leave my netbook, battery charger, cell phone or other portable electronics sitting in the sun, out in the open; not to mention the damage direct sunlight may cause.

Here comes the Energizer Bunny to the rescue with solar powered energy for on the go!

The Energizer® Energi To Go® SP solar driven power pack (see photos below) offers another option. It’s small enough to take with you, so you can leave it in the window of your car to charge up while you’re doing other things or let your office lights do the charging for you. Not enough light? You can also use the AC adapter to plug it in.

Need a charge? Plug in the unit and away you go.

Unfortunately, neither the SP1000 or SP2000 are powerful enough to charge your netbook. For netbooks and laptops you have to turn to the Energi To Go® XP AC power packs, XP8000 (netbooks only) or XP18000 (both netbooks and laptops)

Here is the Spec Sheet:

Energizer® Energi To Go® Solar Power (SP) Fact Sheet Energizer introduces Energi To Go® SP series, a line of portable solar-driven rechargeable power packs with models designed to power up cell and smart phones, iPod® and MP3 players, GPS units, Bluetooth®, and digital cameras. All Energi To Go® SP products are made with Lithium Polymer battery cells and feature:

• Pre-charged and ready to use
• Rechargeable up to 500 times 
• Charges and powers any cell phone anytime, even with a dead battery
• Guarantee to fit every cell phone model with comprehensive free tip selection
• Integrated PowerSafe™ technology for charge, temperature, and short circuit protection
• Built-in power shut-off mode maintains longer charge life

Energi To Go® SP1000 Powers and Charges Cell and Smart Phones, iPod® and MP3 Players and Bluetooth® Via Sunlight, Indoor Light or AC Power

• Power Capacity: 1000 mAh @5V • Charge Time: 6 Hours Solar/3 Hours AC adapter
• Built in LED flashlight
• Pocket Size, Weighs 5.4 oz
• Dimensions: 4.5 (L) x 2.9 (W) x 0.63 (H) Inches

MSRP: $49.99 Package Includes: AC Adapter, travel bag and six cell phone tips*

Energi To Go® SP2000 Solar Power Charger for Cell and Smart Phones, iPod® and MP3 Players, Gaming Devices, Digital Cameras and More

• Power Capacity: 2000 mAh @5V 
• Three Solar Panels: 5.5V / 150 mA ea.
• Optimal solar tracking to help users find the best charging position for maximum sunlight
• Charge Time: 6 Hours Solar/3 Hours AC adapter
• Compact, Weighs 7.7 oz
• Dimensions: 3.8 (L) x 2.1 (W) x 0.6 (H) Inches

MSRP: $99.99 Package Includes: USB charging cable, AC Adapter, travel bag and six cell phone tips*

*Other tips available for free online through XPAL’s Tips for Life Program

• Central Hudson will officially raise the energy delivery rates for electricity and gas. Shame on them to do so with the economy this bad. #

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Can you believe the gall of Central Hudson Gas & Electric? With the huge hit everyone is getting from the inflated prices of oil and gasoline, obviously Hudson Valley as well, Central Hudson wants to increase their delivery charges just to give their customers one more kick in the pants.

Shame on them. The northern areas of the United States are already in fear of $4 per gallon plus home heating oil with the total oil bill increasing 60% over last year ($2.69 vs 4.29). That’s roughly an added $1600 per thousand gallons of oil. Electricity supply charges has jumped from roughly 7 cents per KWH to over 11 cents. This equates to about the same 60% increase. Do you think there’s going to be some issues heating homes this year for the lower middle class and poor? Yep.

Oil prices have entered a downward slide - for now. Would there be as much emphasis on energy right now if there wasn’t a Presidential election in progress? Yes? No? I guess if it is due to the election it can be regarded as a blessing to possibly jump-start the alternative energy movement a little faster.

A kick in the groin.

I for one am looking forward to the day when we have numerous choices for cooking, heating and electricity for our homes and businesses. Even vehicles.