Bags capable of recharging our phones using solar energy. On paper the idea looks good. In practice, it becomes more complicated.
“Keep your phone charged anywhere, all the time, without even having to think about it”. The promise of solar bags is enticing. And manufacturers are starting to have aesthetic models with discreet panels. If you use your smartphone a lot in the city or like to hike in the mountains, then you might be considering treating yourself to one. Should we crack? Not sure. To accumulate enough energy to charge a phone, a solar backpack usually needs three hours of optimal sun exposure. But if, on paper, this duration seems acceptable, in practice it becomes more complicated
First problem that arises: the vertical panel position when wearing the backpack. As Clara Kayser-Bril, an engineer specializing in sustainable energies, explains to us, “Orientation is crucial. In the midday sun, a horizontal surface will capture much more solar radiation than a vertical surface ”. The first limit of solar backpacks however, their nomadic character remains. Because our movements often bring us in the shade of buildings or trees (when it is hot, we even tend to actively seek them!). While walking, we also quickly to end up in the “wrong” way for the load (facing the sun and therefore back to the shade). Unless you have a sunny terrace or work outside, you must also subtract from the calculation all the hours spent in the office.
Finally, let’s not forget the most obvious: solar bags only recharge when it’s sunny. As soon as this one is a little veiled, their production is reduced or even stopped completely. For all these reasons, displaying your bag for the required three hours can prove to be more difficult than expected. For me who spends most of my day in an office without a balcony and was testing a city model (the Sunslice Zenith), it was an obstacle course despite a generally mild weather. The cloudy periods (short but frequent) during the test prevent me from evaluating with great precision the duration of exposure. However, I think I have accumulated 3 hours of sun after a period of… four days.
Not suitable for the city
At this point, I had accumulated enough energy to recharge my Samsung Galaxy Note 9 by 58%. Quite a disappointing result but honestly, even 100%, I would not have recommended the product to many people. The test indeed allowed me to see to what extent, in town, it is difficult to display your bag a few hours in the sun (and it’s midsummer, I’m not even talking about the rest of the year). Of course there are many situations where nomad solar will be a great tool. “Flexible panels can provide electricity in very isolated areas, and in extreme situations”, Explains Julia Muller, Enercoop Auvergne Rhône-Alpes production manager.
Rest, progress that we observe in this area (higher yields, more efficient batteries, less energy-consuming devices, etc.) will certainly multiply the possible uses. But for now, no doubt: solar backpacks are not suitable for needs of city dwellers. What about hikers? Well, not sure they find much more to their liking. These bags can undoubtedly be useful on very sunny areas without access to theelectricity. But if you plan to stock up on groceries every 3-4 days in connected places, these products do not seem to me to bring much added value.
I have not had the opportunity to test a solar bag specifically designed for hiking, but the fact is that the phone is not used much at these times. If you take more an external battery, you will normally have something to see coming between two stages. Certainly, solar energy is ecological and the panels do not weigh very heavy. But when the hiking bag is already 12 kilos and is packed, the superfluous quickly becomes… very bulky.
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