Being in the business of solar energy, we see a lot of new and exciting products long before they hit the store shelves.  We attend a lot of tradeshows and industry conferences, and it never ceases to amaze me how passionate people are about their newly-developed applications.  While it is nowhere near the end of the year, we felt we would share some of these amazing products with you, our loyal readers.

One of the most interesting products we have seen this year comes out of a university in UK.  It is being called the "Sun Trap", and it is garnering a lot of excitement in the world press.  It is not exactly a revolutionary idea, but it certainly is an innovative use of existing technology.  It is a handbag designed using photovoltaic material as an exterior, while the interior of the purse is lined with electroluminescent material.  When the bag is opened, the interior lights up!  It is powered by a small battery that is continually charged by the sun throughout the day.  No more searching for your keys in the night!

Another fine product that we see as being incredibly practical is the solar panel for notebook computers.  This an incredibly handy tool for those people who spend a lot of time outdoors.  We have all had situations when we are far from an outlet and the laptop dies.  Isn't that the worst?  Well, this product has the potential to solve that problemso long as a light source is available.  I plan on taking mine on my next camping trip!

There are also some awesome new products designed for use in your yard or garden.  I am particularly keen on some of the great garden lighting systems that have recently been released.  These are basically small lights that are used to illuminate garden paths and walkways.  They are charged throughout the day by the sun, and they stay lit well throughout the night.  There are also new solar powered rodent repellers that are an excellent alternative to using chemicals or traps to keep rodents out of your garden.

These are just a few of the exciting products that have seen the light of day.  Engineers and inventors around the world are working to develop some wonderful new products.  It is very refreshing to see that people are devoting time and effort into developing sustainable energy applications.  It is only a matter of time before all energy products are designed with the interests of sustainability in mind.


Jim Fritz is a lifelong environmentalist, and a proud member of the editorial team at thesolarguide.com an incredible online resource with extensive information about photovoltaics, charge controllers, solar consumer goods and more.