If you use gadgets while out in the wilderness, a generator or a solar panel (or both) is a must-have in addition to the usual high-capacity power banks. But if you want to travel light and still be able to harvest free energy rain or shine, day or night, the Shine Turbine from Canadian startup Aurea Technologies may be a better option.
As the name implies, Shine Turbine is a portable wind turbine. It is super compact and lightweight. Including the required components to get it up and running, Shine only weighs in at no more than 1.3 kilograms (3 pounds).
The components, including the pole, mount pegs, and guy wires, are all stored inside the device when not in use. And when folded down, it is about the size of a water bottle, measuring just 35 (13 3/4-inch) mm long and 10 mm (4-inch) in diameter.
When set up – which should take just a couple of minutes, Shine is able to output up to 40 W of power which it can then store in its 12,000 mAh battery that is good for 4 phone charges. It can also recharge or power devices even when it is in operation via its dual USB ports.
Other highlights include a 6061-T6 aluminum enclosure, 7075-T6 aluminum mount, composite-reinforced blades, IP54 rated water resistance, 0-40°C operating temperature, wind speed range of 8-28 mph, low noise (50 dB), LED indication, built-in heat dissipation, and automatic yaw that turns the turbine into the headwind.
The Shine Portable Wind Turbine was a successfully funded Kickstarter campaign from last year. It is now available to pre-order via Indiegogo InDemand, priced at CA$498, or about US$375.
Images: Aurea Technologies.