Shine: A Portable Wind Energy Charging Unit, An Idea Straight Out of Hell

Over the 12 years that 2GreenEnergy has been beating the bushes for new concepts in clean energy, we’ve introduced readers to countless bad ideas, suggesting, of course, that they be avoided.

There are many devices that help campers charge their electronic devices.  One we covered earlier uses hydrokinetics; it’s a small water turbine that costs about $100 that is placed into a nearby fast-running stream or river (as if most campsites on Earth happen to have one).

Here’s one (pictured) that uses wind energy, that’s actually even more idiotic.  “Shine” (perhaps a better name for a solar product?) costs $240; it adds weight and takes up space in a backpack, and works, obviously, only when the wind is blowing, unless the customer/fool carries the battery along too (more weight and space).

Speaking of solar, the only intelligent way to charge way-off-grid devices is a small, lightweight strip of PV, available everywhere for about $20.

Btw, what seems easier: setting up the mini-wind farm shown below,  or throwing a tiny piece of PV on the ground?