Shining a light on solar power radio technology
For years, we’ve known that if we want to protect our planet, we need to reduce our use of non-renewable substance. While gas, coal, and oil have been a convenient source of power for decades, they’re dangerous for our environment and finite in their availability.
Fortunately, we have found better ways to access the power that we need. #SolarPower is a way for people around the globe to tap into an abundant source of energy. Through photovoltaic technology and other innovations, we can use the sun to power everything from our homes to our cars.
One place where we’re beginning to see the benefits of solar power is in the radio industry. Solar radios ensure that even people without access to batteries and grid-based electricity will still be able to access information and news from around the world.
Here, we’re going to shine a light on the history and potential of solar radio.
What is solar powered radio?
#SolarRadio is a term that refers to radio receivers that can convert energy from the sun into an electrical current. A solar powered radio works by absorbing the sun’s light in a photovoltaic panel. This panel converts the photons (light energy) from the sunlight into a current suitable for a small device like a radio transmitter.
The first solar power radio was initially designed in the 1950s, by General Electric. Weighing in at ten ounces, the machine was a lightweight and portable solution to accessing radio on-the-go. In 1957, a business named Acopian Technical produced the first solar radios available for the general public.
While #SolarPowered radio technology might seem complicated at first, it’s a lot simpler than it appears. The method of solar energy that a radio uses relies on PV panels that absorb photons and runs them through semiconductors. When the semiconductors encounter the photons, electrons are shaken loose from their items, resulting in an electrical current.
Used effectively, solar radios are an excellent way to eliminate the need for batteries and outlet plugs on radios. They ensure that people all around the world will always be able to tune into broadcasts, no matter whether they have access to the grid.
Evolving from the crank radio to the electric radio
Most people today take access to electricity and battery power for granted.
However, throughout the world, there are many communities that simply don’t have the same power that we do. For decades, scientists have struggled to overcome this issue, producing a range of different battery-less radios that can run on thermo technology, kerosene and more.
In the mid-1990s, the inventor, Trevor Baylis offered a new way to share information in impoverished countries, without relying on grid access or battery power. His crank-powered radio used clockwork technology to generate energy from the motion of an embedded crank in the device. For a while, this was considered to be the best way of generating electricity for people living #OffTheGrid.
However, although Baylis did everything he could to make his device accessible, many groups argued that it simply wasn’t affordable for people in poorer nations. Wind-up radios were often expensive to purchase at first, even if they were cheaper to maintain in the long-term.
Manufacturers kept experimenting with sustainable forms of energy that they could use to power radio devices. Eventually, they came up with the solar powered radio.
Today, businesses producing solar powered radio can keep the costs of manufacturing as low as possible by using cheap materials, and off-cuts from commercial solar panels. The result is a simple and easy-to-use solution that anyone in the world can access. These new forms of radio technology had their issues. For instance, it’s difficult to power a solar powered radio at night. However, manufacturers have begun to introduce new ways of tackling common problems, like adding rechargeable batteries to receivers.
What’s next for solar radio?
#RadioTechnology has evolved drastically since the days of Guglielmo Marconi and Nikola Tesla.
We’ve discovered new ways to broadcast information, unlocked endless opportunities with the delivery of digital signals, and even created new channels. The introduction of solar powered radio, however, remains to be one of the innovations with the biggest impact on the world as we know it.
Solar power radio isn’t just a way for people to tune into their favourite songs when they’re hiking or camping with the family. These convenient, battery-free devices are ideal for emergencies where it’s impossible to access the grid. They also ensure that people from any country will be able to share and access information, regardless of how much energy they can access.
Solar power is a reliable and accessible way for humanity to unlock the power it needs without damaging the environment or wasting electricity. Since we discovered the potential of PV panels, the cost of creating power using solar energy has decreased steadily. Today, virtually anyone can afford to implement a PV system into their devices.
Although it’s impossible to know for sure where PV power and solar energy will go next, we do know that the benefits of solar energy will continue to transform the world for years to come.
Tune-in to Radio Fidelity for more.
