Solar radiation stirs the Earth’s massive ocean currents. It ignites polar auroras. Ultimately, it powers almost every life form on the planet. So you’d think that tapping our mid-sized star to keep a MacBook Air laptop humming along the trail would be a trifling matter. But this wasn’t the case — at least not at the start of my walk.
Trekking up the Great Rift Valley of Ethiopia, I soon discovered that my lightweight solar panel — draped over a cargo camel — failed to recharge the bulk of my electronics. This was a big problem. I depend on my energy-thirsty laptop and satellite phone to transmit stories and photos. For a time, I was forced to zigzag across the Ethiopian desert, searching for a wall plug.
Paul Salopek
That’s when Ethan Zuckerman and Nate Matias at the Center for Civic Media at MIT came to the rescue. They put me in touch with Richard Smith, an expert at powering electronic equipment off the grid. Richard in turn contacted Jeff Crystal at a New York solar charging company called Voltaic Systems. And, well — let there be light.
The problem, it turned out, wasn’t with the solar cell. It was my method for tapping its slow dribble of energy. Solar cells produce a modest flow of direct current (DC). The electronic tools we’re all addicted to run off higher alternating current (AC). And I was using the wrong DC/AC inverter — a cigarette-lighter type device meant to tap a relatively powerful car battery. Richard set me right. He found an external battery designed especially to store the trickle feed of solar panels. And Jeff worked with him to ensure it was powerful enough for my needs.
The result in sun-hammered Saudi Arabia: Now using two PowerFilm solar panels (20W and 30W) slung across the grimy, matted hump of Fares the solar camel, I can store four to five hours worth of extra laptop or satphone usage on a Voltaic V60 external battery. This little battery can rejuice my dead laptop within an hour. (I usually do this during our long midday break.) On a good walking day, when we’re slogging north and Fares’ hairy flanks are aligned to the rising and setting sun, I can pull two full laptop recharges off the V60. Nice work, guys.
Next challenge?
Find solar panels in camel colors. The shiny black ones sometimes frighten loose herds of dromedaries we encounter along our way. Two irate Bedouin have already complained about Fares’ solar cells stampeding their animals.
