Aren't batteries bad for the environment?Toxic?Expensive? With small solar panels phones, iPod's, laptops other small electronics could be smaller, slimmer, more efficient cost people less to charge every day. Maybe a small battery inside as a backup and to store the Solar energy for night time. But overall, batteries should be optional. So big question:Why aren't electronics being produced with solar panels?
Solar panels could still be expensive, which would also raise the cost of the item.They also are made with chemicals that harm that enviroment(not too badly, but ya know..) You would also need to charge them, of course, in sunlight and most people enjoy the benefit being able to plug something in and still being able to use it. Not saying it's a bad idea, just the world we live in.
Actually, I have gone through quite a few solar powered radios-though they had rechargeable batteries. Still have a solar powered flashlight. Leave 'em out in the sun for a few hours and your get an hour of radio, or a day or so of light. That doesn't get rid of the batteries thought (Which are built-in rechargables)
Yes your right, solar panels (photovoltics) could be used to make electricity for small electronics. Right now solar cells are on many calculators, and even flashlight. But the problem is the lenght of time the cells take to charge the device, verses the power demand. I don;t think the size of the panels, and the amount of time needed to charge the device are practical. One think I have been thinking is that every one should have a photovoltaic panel to charge a battery. Then, use the battery to charge cell phones, MP3 palyers. The panel and the battery could be about the 8 x inches, and could sit in window, or on a dash board to get charged, then used in doors over night to charge devices.
Well if these things come up with the solar panel than no one can easily but it even run it because solar panels need constant light energy from the sun which consumes in their resources equipment. By the way these are very small things we should think about big like electricity generation still done by coal which is main reason for spreading pollution but now USA is planting solar panel plant which will help to reduce pollution and saving bills money.
Cost and and it would be inconvenient to the consumer in this Gotta have instant gratification society. take the amount of money you paid for your MP3 player- double it- would you still have bought it at that price? That IS what happens when you add in a 2 to 0 dollar component. Besides- the energy required for most items you cite- a solar panel makes it not portable. While you might be able to arbittrarily decide to go without an MP3 player for 24 hours, could you do it for a week? How about your cell phone? It uses more power- so go without it for 2 weeks. You still need batteries to be charged by solar panels due to one major flaw of solar panels- they do not work in the dark. So in effect all you are really doing is weighing the device down with a solar panel, and you still have not gotten away from a need for a battery. I don't know about you, but I have an MP3 player about the diameter of a 50 cent piece- where are you going to put the solar panel??? It will not have enough power to operate the device, and marginal at best for charginthe battery which would take hours instead of the minutes it takes connected to a USB port.
