Product News

ICP Solar Technologies and TEC Debut Solar Jacket Prototypes

ICP Solar Technologies Inc., a developer of solar products for consumers, and SCOTTeVEST LLC, a Technology Enabled Clothing (TEC) company, recently unveiled the first solar power jacket prototypes designed to allow wearers to carry, connect and charge their portable digital devices. The ICP Global Solar division is integrating ICP's flexible thin-film photovoltaic technologies (CIGS) in three models of SCOTTeVEST jackets. Strategically mounted CIGS panels are pre-wired, providing solar power to individual devices for power storage (charging) or immediate consumption.

Through its TEC division, SCOTTeVEST will assist ICP in showcasing the potential of integrating solar technology into clothing. TEC owns the intellectual property rights associated with the incorporation of third-party wires into clothing through a series of internal, hidden conduits referred to as a Personal Area Network (P.A.N.). In addition to incorporating the solar panels in SCOTTeVEST products, TEC expects to assist ICP in bringing solar technology into other mainstream outerwear clothing products using its patent-pending P.A.N. design.

New Coleman Consumer Solar Products Launched by ICP Solar Technologies

Under a license agreement with the Coleman Company, Inc., ICP Solar Technologies Inc., a developer of solar products for consumers, is launching its two new Coleman branded products: Coleman Exponent FLEX 5 and Coleman Portable Power.

The Coleman Exponent FLEX 5 is a 5 watt foldable, portable solar panel. When exposed to full sunlight, the FLEX 5 can produce enough power to charge small 12V batteries, rechargeable lanterns or even run portable electronics, such as cellular phones, GPS and satellite phones, MP3 and portable games. The Coleman Portable Power Kit is a combo radio/light/power source designed for camping, hiking or road trips, or just to keep around the house in case of power failure, according to ICP.

Germany's Siemens Announces Greater Organic Solar Cell Efficiency

As a result of the development of organic photodetectors, Siemens researchers in Germany have announced that they have recently been able to increase the efficiency of printed organic solar cells from three to over five per cent. Siemens researchers believe that the current state of the art will even allow an efficiency of about seven per cent.

This success, the German company says, opens the way to the commercial use of the technology. In contrast to today's silicon cells, organic solar cells can be printed on foils, making them flexible and much lighter in weight. Another plus of this technology is the very low manufacturing cost, Siemens says.

To start with, Siemens anticipates that organic solar cells will first be applied in portable solar modules charging mobile telephones, satellite phones or navigation systems without requiring any connection to the mains. The first such products are expected to be sold in 2005.

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