My 100% Solar Powered Radio

Here is the latest in my quest to design low cost solar power options for the developing world and you too!


I found these solar panels at my local electronics store. A single panel is not very useful, but when combined with others, they produce enough solar electricity  to power this radio. The radio has a hand crank to charge the batteries and a small solar cell on top. I wanted to see if the radio would work on pure solar power, so I did not install the batteries. The radio works fine as long as the panels are in sunlight. Naturally with the batteries installed, the radio would work at night and the solar panels would recharge the batteries the next day.

This may not seem like much, but in developing nations where electricity is not available, this would be seen as a minor miracle. Honduras has a distance learning program for kids in rural areas. The only problem is without solar power, they can not power up a TV or radio so the kids can learn! and you know what happens when kids without and education grow up to be adults without and education.

If there are any Zaadz members that are smarter than me (and I'm sure there are) please consider helping me figure out all this stuff. Humanitas WorldWide has a mission to end poverty and suffering in Central America and it all starts with the basics:

• Clean safe water to drink and irrigate crops
• Safe, comfortable shelter
• Solar, wind and hydroelectric power
• Education and health care

An unending cycle of poverty can be broken with very little investment.