Very cool QuickChanges post on Worldchanging about Boulder, CO’s new solar-powered wifi hotspot.
The solar panels can charge the system battery in about 5 hours, and the battery can operate the access point for up to 72 hours. The network can therefore remain up day and night, and the manufacturer, Lumin, claims that the panels are sensitive enough to “register a charge from the moon” — unstated is just how much charge, but no matter: under nearly any conceivable scenario, solar powered WiFi access points could remain up and running without interruption for very long periods of time.
Lumin promotes itself with the motto “From Boulder to Baghdad,” and promotes the system as one that can be set up in even the least developed settings. Like Jamais, I think the such systems would be very useful (perhaps even preferable after reading his ideas) in urban settings.
Technorati tags: wifi, solar power