New and Improved: The Voltaic Generator Solar Powered Laptop Bag
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California 
on 12. 5.08
Photo via Voltaic Systems; Full Disclosure: Shayne McQuade, founder of Voltaic Systems, sits on TreeHugger's Board of Advisors.
Great news for everyone wanting to utilize solar power for their laptops. The Generator by Voltaic Systems is a solar-powered backback we’ve featured on TreeHugger before, but there are some cool improvements to it that make it perfect to both carry and charge your laptop.
The new version of the Generator uses the most efficient consumer-grade solar cells available to produce 15 watts and charge up the battery in as few as 5 hours - a big improvement in charging time from the previous version. That is really fast compared to other solar bags on the market. In fact, it’s really the only bag of it’s kind that can charge up your laptop in about half a day. Check out the guide we created to solar chargers for a little comparison.
This could make a cool green gift for someone this holiday season (ahem, me! …let me know if you need shipping address info) and they’re heading out the door starting today. It is priced at $499 which is very reasonable compared to chargers that have similar charging capabilities...plus, it's a laptop bag so you get a good deal of convenience out of it. It's a very huggable accessory to consider if you're traveling and off grid for awhile, or if you just want to go off grid as often as possible.
More on the Generator and other Solar Laptop Chargers:
Voltaic Systems Unveils "Generator" Laptop Charging Solar Bag at CES
7 Portable Solar Laptop Chargers Worth Considering
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Another lame gadget. Put your $500 towards buying the premium of 20,000kWh of wind/solar power instead. It costs $2.50 per 100kWh to "upgrade" to renewables over coal here.
15 watts at 5 hours only makes 75wh, which could power a typical laptop for under 2 hours. Unless you have an energy efficient laptop or a small battery, a full charge would still take most of a day's worth of direct sunlight. Of course a company's expectations are always higher than real life.
It's just not worth spending that kind of money for a "convenience" that isn't that great. Unless you plan on leaving your laptop outside all day, this really isn't a great option.
Lame gadget? no way. There are people that don't have the ability to always work next to a power plug. This at least gives the ability to charge your battery while you're away, in a nice carrying case.
I'd love to get one if I had the extra cash....
I have a tiny little EEEPC so this would probably work wonders. I like the idea of being able to use my laptop in the park/camping and not ever have to worry about the battery. (Assuming the bag could charge as you use your comp?). That said, 500$! I can't wait until this technology becomes efficient AND cheap.
Is there a limit to how much energy you can get from the sun? Like some forseeable cap on solar panel efficiency? (without just making them bigger)
I know when I'm traveling I don't have time to keep my laptop bag out in direct sunlight for 5 hours a day! To me this is totally useless unless on some kind of out-door trip (e.g. bike touring, camping, etc...) in which case the mobile power generation would be good.
I agree with andy - put the money to a full PV install on your home, or swtich to 100% green power via your provider (which is an option to pretty much all Australians).
A cute accessory and conversation piece for the wealthy, but, like so many things on TH, has little real-world green value, and only furthers eco-apartheid (kudos to Van Jones).
A stand-alone 15 watt photovoltaic (PV) panel costs about $90, and could charge a typical laptop battery in 5 hours, but would not drive the computer. A 15 watt panel won't even run my eeePC 700 directly; it needs over 2 amps to run, but the panel puts out only 1 amp. A 60 watt panel (which can be had for the price of the Voltaic Systems' bag) will run it directly, or charge a battery in a little over an hour.
So where there's real need to power a laptop, or charge its battery, off grid, a separate PV panel, which can be used for other purposes also, is clearly a better way to go.
A cute accessory and conversation piece for the wealthy, but, like many things on TH, has little real-world green value, and only furthers eco-apartheid (kudos to Van Jones).
A stand-alone 15 watt photovoltaic (PV) panel costs about $90, and could charge a typical laptop battery in 5 hours, but would not drive the computer. A 15 watt panel won't even run my eeePC 700 directly; it needs over 2 amps to run, but the panel puts out only 1 amp. A 60 watt panel (which can be had for the price of the Voltaic Systems' bag) will run it directly, or charge a battery in a little over an hour.
So where there's a real need to power a laptop (or charge its battery) off grid, a separate PV panel (which also can be used for other purposes) is clearly a better way to go.
I am going to be serving with Peace Corps in a remote village in Africa for the next 2+ years, so I have been interested in powering my laptop and other technologies for some time now. To me, this is not "another lame gadget" at all, rather enables me to digitally document the work I am doing while serving. I will also be able to maintain my blog, so I can communicate with who are interested!