The all-new Blue Freedom kit offers yet another alternative to
solar ШУУД ҮЗЭХ panels, fuel cells,
muscle-powered dynamos, wind turbines, AC-charged back-up batteries and other portable power solutions. "The world's smallest hydropower plant" transforms the power of running water into phone chatting, internet browsing, music listening, GPS navigating and other mobile device activities, and it does so from a package built to fit in a backpack.
Developed in Germany, the Blue Freedom charging kit consists of a 4.7-in
(12-cm-) -diameter micro turbine, a 5W generator and a 5,000 mAh
lithium-polymer internal battery. The turbine takes a plunge into a
running water body and the unit's base stays ashore, letting you charge
devices directly by way of the USB 2A and 1A ports. You can also store
energy in the integrated battery for later use. A built-in LED light
helps you see at night.
Blue Freedom tells us that the micro turbine doesn't need to be situated
in a specific way in relation to the direction of current, and is
instead designed to flow with the water and deliver efficient charging.
The kit is designed to operate in temperatures between 41 and 104 ºF (5
and 40 ºC) and altitudes up to 16,400 feet (5,000 m).
The idea of a small, packable hydropower system is certainly
interesting, and the Blue Freedom appears to be a slickly designed
package, but it left us asking: Why? It seems like solar panels are more
versatile and easier to set up, allowing you to charge your device on
the move as well as in place. Sunlight also tends to be a more
readily-available commodity than running water when traveling off the
grid.
According to the governments of US and Canada, two world leaders in
hydropower production, hydropower is the most efficient means of
generating electricity, transforming up to 90 percent of available water
energy into usable electricity. Compare that to around 15 percent for
solar panels, and you can start to see why a portable hydropower charger
could prove quite superior.
Now we have no expectations that a micro turbine bobbing around in a
ripple is going to be anywhere near as efficient as a full-sized
hydropower plant, but Blue Freedom's estimates do look promising. The
company tells us that the hydropower kit should charge its internal
5,000 mAh battery in three to four hours, assuming a water flow rate of
1.2 m/sec (2.7 mph).
Blue Freedom's charging times are only a manufacturer estimates based on
a prototype, so they're not worth getting too excited over yet. Still,
assuming the Blue Freedom is well designed, it should be able to offer
quicker, more efficient off-grid charging than other portable options.
Depending upon the nature of the trip, the Blue Freedom may or may not
be more convenient than other types of chargers. It'd be a good solution
for camping (near a suitable stretch of creek or river), in which
you're staying in one place for an extended period and would be able to
charge at night, when there's no sunshine to harvest. On the other hand,
it wouldn't be very useful for trips through the city, desert or any
stretch of land not adjacent to a flowing water body, which breaks down
to a lot of stretches of land. The base station does include a microUSB
port for charging the internal battery, so you could use other forms of
energy, including solar panels, in the event that you can't find running
water. That will of course add to its 0.9-lb (400-g) pack weight and
7.9 x 2.2-in (20 x 5.5-cm) size.
In addition to charging gadgets during outdoor travel and adventure,
Blue Freedom sees its technology as a viable solution for those that
live off the power grid. Assuming they have access to running water,
they could harvest their own electricity to use for cell phones,
lighting and other important everyday devices.
Blue Freedom's designers are now trying to move out of the prototype
stages and into mass production. They've reached out to the Kickstarter
community to help, and are offering the charging kit for pledge levels
starting at US$179. The cheapest levels are sold out, but the kit is
still available at the $219 level. If all goes as planned, deliveries
will get underway in October. The project is just over 80 percent of the
way to its goal, with 38 days left to go.
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