Nokia has announced the availability of a new portable solar
charger in Nigeria. The new Nokia Portable Solar Charger, DC-40, is a pilot
product designed and marketed by Nokia to test the viability of solar charging
as an alternative mobile phone charging system.
The solution is incredibly simple and efficient. With one
minute of charging, consumers will get approximately two minutes of talk time.
The solar charger is most efficient when used in direct sunlight where the
average charging time for full charge on a 1000mAh battery would be under four
hours. However, the solar panel can also be used behind a glass window, but is
less efficient in these conditions.
According to Nokia, Kenya and Nigeria provide the perfect
opportunity for testing this solution, with recent World Bank reports
indicating that only 16 and 51 percent of Kenyans and Nigerians respectively
had regular access to electricity between 2007 and 2011.
However, mobile phone usage is pervasive in these markets,
calling for alternative methods of power. ”There are numerous advantages to
this solution, including being able to service consumers outside of regular
electricity supply, or those who need a quick charge on the go,” says James
Rutherfoord, Vice President Nokia West Africa. “However, perhaps the greatest
benefit is the cost saving achieved by being able to harness the natural
resource of the sun”.
Initial limited quantities of the DC-40 solar charger will
be available in Nigeria at retail outlets across Ikorodu, Ibadan, Ojo/Badagry
and Ijebu-Ode/Sagamu at an estimated retail price of N2, 560 with the aim of
getting
feedback from the field.
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