Mobile devices Toolkit

Story: Uptake of solar-charged mobile devices 'limited'

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Built-in solar power will never be the answer

The report is correct in saying that performance of individual photovoltaic cells is poor, and that this is a major barrier to adoption. However, even with a major leap in efficiency of PV cells they're still not going to be added to every portable device out there. It's simply not a practical way of charging a device.

There are a number of practical barriers to having solar cells on devices: They only work during daylight hours, and only if you're outside or by a window; You have to keep your device out in the open, which isn't always possible or desirable; You can't have both a solar cell and a display in the same place on a device, so you can either use it or charge it, but not both.

There are better solutions to keeping mobile devices charged while out and about. Obviously as higher capacity batteries are developed they will improve the situation, but standard charger inputs will mean that Cafés or other retailers — hair salons and sports centres spring to mind — can provide charging points that most of their customers will be able to use.

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