Orange launches wind-powered phone charger

Rating: blow at Glastonbury

By Annie Turner

Orange is launching a wind-powered mobile phone charger at the Glastonbury music festival in the UK.

The Orange Mobile Wind Charger was developed with Professor Shashank Priya at the University of Texas. Orange commissioned the research into an off grid wind-powered portable phone charger that would take into account the unpredictable British climate to ensure a constant energy source.

The product is still at prototype stage and will be on display at the festival from 22-24 June. The wind turbine weighs 150gm and fits into a backpack. The turbine stores wind-generated power in the control box for charging the handset later. It takes up to two hours to charge the phone.

Great idea, not necessarily for spoilt westerners at festivals, but what fantastic potential for people who in emerging economies who haven’t got electricity.

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