Pitching the solar tent
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The design of the solar tent of the future. Image: Orange |
Designs for a futuristic solar tent have recently been revealed at Glastonbury, a music festival in the UK. The tent includes cutting-edge technologies, allowing campers to relax in comfort, stay connected and power their gadgets while being environmentally-friendly.
The design – by the telecommunications company Orange – is inspired by new flexible solar fabrics, such as those being researched by the US company Konarka. This fabric would be used in place of heavy fixed solar panels.
The flexible solar fabric is made of both regular threads and coated solar threads. The fabric would be incorporated into the tent’s shell, which can be adjusted to maximise the sunlight received all day.
The tent also has a wireless control hub. The hub is connected to a flexible touch screen displaying the energy generated and consumed by the tent. It also provides the tent with a wireless internet signal.
The central hub also controls the heating in the tent floor. The heating is triggered automatically when the temperature inside falls below a set level.
The tent is designed with a wireless charging pouch. To charge your mobile phone and other portable devices, you put them into the pouch – there is no need for lots of wires or different chargers.
The pouch generates a magnetic field, which induces an electric charge in the gadget, which charges the device. The technology to be used is similar to that already available in a smart phone called the Palm Pre.
With a design that allows you to remain comfortable and connected, solar tents could revolutionise camping. Sounds perfect for the sunny Australian outback!
There are plenty of Australian projects underway that are showing what's possible when it comes to harnessing energy from our sun, wind and air. The Australian Government delivers a range of programs, grants and rebates to help schools, householders, businesses and manufacturers turn to renewable energy sources such as solar and wind.
There's also a lot we can do as individuals to make a real difference in building a cleaner country. We’ll be highlighting some of the actions you can take in future issues.
