A new Kickstarter project called The Power Pot allows you to charge your small electronics while out camping or off the grid. It uses the concept of thermoelectric differences to generate the required electricity for most small electronic devices.
Here’s a quick video on the project.
Over at Kickstarter you can donate to help get the Power Pot to market. Here’s what David Toledo from Salt Lake City, Utah has to say about his project:
Hello, and thank you for checking out our project! The PowerPot is a cooking pot that doubles as a portable electric generator. It can be used indoors or outside and works with any fuel source. Unlike solar power, The PowerPot works day or night, rain or shine to bring you the electricity you need anytime, anywhere! We’ve reached our final stages of prototyping and it is time to bring this wonderful device to the market. With your help, we hope to get Power Pots into the hands of the people who need it most, and onto your own stove or campfire! People all over the world–whether they be herders in remote villages, backpacking enthusiasts, or city residents worried about potential power outages–can benefit from having a personal generator that makes electricity from cooking.
Simply put, The PowerPot transforms the heat from cooking into electricity with no moving parts. This is done using a technology called thermoelectric power generation. Thermoelectric technology was discovered in the early 1800’s, but found no consumer application in power generation due to the relatively high power needs of the devices in use at the time. However, times have changed. Today, nearly everyone uses microelectronics-based devices (smart phones, mp3 players, GPS units, etc.) which consume less than 5 watts of power.
Paul and I are both materials science engineers and avid campers. We came up with the concept of the PowerPot 5 years ago, because as much as we love the silence and solitude of the great outdoors, we wanted the option to listen to music and to charge our electronic gizmos while we were away from the power grid. We also wanted a power source that is lightweight, has no moving parts, and most importantly, is reliable and easy to use. After many prototypes, we have created a PowerPot that meets all of our criteria. Now after extensive field testing, we are confident it will satisfy other users as well.
Right now, we are launching two models, the PowerPot V and the PowerPot X, which respectively produce 5 and 10 watts of usable electricity. The power output of each PowerPot scales with size. So, we are also developing a higher power model called the PowerPot XV, with output of up to 15 watts. All models generate enough power to charge 2+ smart phones, mp3 players, or LED lights at a time. The larger models (PowerPot X and XV) produce enough power to charge larger devices such as tablets.
The PowerPot V is a typical backpacking type cooking pot, with thermoelectric technology attached to the base that makes it a 5W generator. This model holds 1.5 quart (1.4 l) and is lightweight, made from hard anodized aluminum, weighing in at only 12oz. With no moving parts, it will withstand miles of trekking, wherever you decide to take it. The PowerPot V is a simple, yet versatile and highly portable power solution, which will allow you to power 2-3 USB devices at a time. Only heat and water are required for the magic to happen. Besides making a perfect addition to your next backpacking/camping trip, the PowerPot V should also be part of your home emergency preparedness kit. The PowerPot V takes up little shelf space, has an indefinite shelf life, and it can be used indoors or outdoors, day or night, rain or shine, and on any heat source sufficient for cooking. You can store everything you need for a ready-to-go on-demand generator right inside the pot.
The PowerPot X is a typical kitchen-style pot, with integrated thermoelectric technology that makes it a 10W generator. The PowerPot X gives users enough electricity to power several handheld devices at a time, or larger devices such as tablets. The PowerPot X holds 2 (1.9 l) quarts of liquid, and is sized for a small family. Just like the PowerPot V, the PowerPot X has no moving parts, and has an indefinite shelf life. This model works well on a gas range, providing charging power and lighting at home during power outages.
To check out this awesome device or to donate head on over to Kickstarter and see the project.
){kind=link}
A larger unit could be overlaid on top of a fuel stove or integrated with a wet back stove to generate perhaps 50-100W.