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Nokero introduces world's first solar powered lightbulb

(There could be an infrared version that uses its own generated heat to make the bulb light, as long as it had a power regulator. There could be a UV version to absorb energy at night when it is needed. - Puravida19)

June 14, 11:00 AMChicago Green Technology Examiner
Weston Sedgwick article here includes photo of solar bulb.

Nokero, a Hong Kong-based company, has debuted the world's first solar-powered LED lightbulb.

The durable, rainproof light bulb is about the size of a standard incandescent bulb and can be charged during the day to provide hours of clean, safe light at night. It’s also designed with a replaceable, rechargeable battery so it can be renewed to operate for several years.

The Nokero N100 solar LED light bulb is meant to replace kerosene lamps as a lighting source in the developing world. The company says 1.6 billion people still lack sufficient access to electricity, and many burn fossil fuels for light, which can be dangerous and expensive.

Priced at around $15, the Nokero N100 has kerosene lamps in its sights but, at $15 a pop it's going to be an expensive alternative for people in the developing world and for aid agencies in disaster zones. Anyone with a patio or a camping habit, however, might find it more than useful.

The rainproof bulb is made from impact-resistant plastic, with four solar-panels on the side, and a replaceable battery.

The LEDs are meant to last 50,000 to 100,000 hours, and the solar panels are rated to last 10 years. The life of the N100 is basically 5 to 10 years, according to Nokero representative Tom Boyd.

Fully charged, it can give around four hours' worth of light, although a single charge will probably only give users around half of that. It consumes just 1/200 of the energy of a typical kerosene lamp and provides five times as much light.

“We’ve done everything we can to make this solar bulb affordable and long-lasting so the people who need it can afford it, and reap the benefits, ” said Nokero’s inventor and founder Stephen Katsaros. “There are so many ways this product can change lives: It can help keep families and shopkeepers safe, help students study at night, eradicate indoor pollution, and reduce worldwide carbon emissions.”