Each of our solar backpacks and solar chargers contain valuable components that can be useful for a long period of time. If the components for some reason do fail, they can be recycled to reclaim materials and process hazardous elements safely. If our bags are no longer in use, we would like them back so that we can distribute components to people and groups that find them valuable and make sure any other parts do not end up in landfills. As a thank you, we’ll send you a discount code for your next purchase plus a free return shipping label.

Where do the Parts Go?
When we get the bag or charger back, we’ll disassemble it and test all the components. Working solar panels, batteries, adapters and LED cables will go to educational groups, hackerspaces or for sale as used (and inexpensive) components on our site. Unusable components will go to our recycling partner, SIMS, in Edison, NJ.

How Do I Participate?
Email us at support@voltaicsystems.com with your mailing address and description of the bag or charger you own and the item(s) you would like to return. Once received, we will issue you a special “Take Back” coupon valid on your next purchase. Due to shipping restrictions, this offer is for U.S. customers only.

Example of Discontinued Array Solar Backpack

We sent the conservancy our Array Solar Laptop charger to power their 15″ HP Pavilion. The laptop is used to keep all the dogs medical and training records, record poaching incidents and in the field on tracking assignments. Currently, the staff needs to take it back to the main building which is an hours walk.

If you are interested in donating to Ol Pejeta, click here.

Photo by Sandra Hill of a Baby White Rhino

Photo of Malibu Storks and Mt. Kena by Jaun Pablo Moreiras

Morning snowfall in the Andes

Day 2 is a flurry of activity. We install a few more systems in the community where we slept, then begin a process of trekking several hours to the next community, installing lights, trekking to the next community. Everywhere, we are welcomed into homes, served warm food and tea.

Installing solar panel on roof

Well-earned potato break

Dany from Q'ellqa and the Q'eros help assemble kits

During each installation, we train the homeowner how to use the light and phone charging system in either Spanish (my Spanish is Dora-esque so this is mainly the team from Q’ellqa and Rafael, our distributor in Peru) or Quechua. Among the Q’eros, Cesar is the appointed handyman of all the systems. He and several others have mastered all the components and correct us when we make a mistake. They know how to do basic troubleshooting so that we can maintain the systems over time if any parts fail. Their enthusiasm and quick learning gives us confidence that the systems will be well taken care of. The Q’ellqa crew will stay in close contact with them to collect feedback on the systems and provide advice.

Cesar demonstrating how the battery works

Checking the list for which installs come next

By the end of the second day, I’m better adjusted to the altitude, but exhausted from the trekking and climbing. After installing one of the last lights, we hear the chant of “Otra casa!” and climb up another impossibly steep hill to another home to do another installation. I can barely walk straight, but can’t wait to do thousands more.

Another light installation

Team Q'ellqa, Water Solutions Peru and Voltaic

Photographs 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 by Cusco Photographer Carlos Garavito. Photograph 1 by Voltaic Systems.

We’ll be back again on Tuesday to do more. Our own Buy One Give One program is sold out due to an incredible response, but if you want to donate we suggest Occupy Sandy’s Amazon registry. This gets the gear that is truly needed to the people who truly need it. Buy a pump and you’ll clear someone’s basement.

We had three modes of distributing our kits to try to make sure they a) got to the people who needed them most and b) were installed for maximum effectiveness. We could have easily dropped the kits off somewhere and they would be gone in ten minutes and likely not used to their best advantage.

Piggyback on Medical Walkthroughs
There are numerous hi-rise buildings all down the Rockaway Coast. Some are run by the city, other by private companies. On Saturday, we saw some with hallway lighting from generators and backup boiler systems that brought in some heat, but there were still a lot that were completely dark. In them, the elderly and sick are essentially trapped in their rooms and are dependent on others to bring them food, water (especially on higher floors) and medicine.

Occupy Sandy at 113th Street organized teams all day to go door to door and find out the health status of individuals inside their rooms and determine which medicines they needed. They would attempt to return later in the day with prescriptions filled. To complete this work, they would have to go up dark stairwells and hallways. We’re not sure why essentially startup organizations had to fill this void (Doctors Without Borders left earlier in the week, no sign of any government action), but we were really impressed with Occupy’s organizers efforts, adaptability and thoughtfulness.

List of Buildings to Target

Shayne trained these teams doing medical walk-throughs how to install the solar panel and how to work the light and phone charger. We then gave each team 3-4 kits to bring on their rounds.

Shayne explaining kit to Katie and Eric

Shayne Training one Team of (amazing) Volunteers

Door to Door Installs
In the neighborhood by Occupy’s 113th Street location, we went into a number of apartments and installed the panels facing South out the window. The system we devised was placing industrial double sided tape on the back of the panel and sticking the panel on the outside of the window. While not perfect, it was simple and quick. Placing the panel outside the window will probably generate 2-4 times as much power as if the panel was inside (the windows are often dirty, there are screens, line of site to sun issues). We got a lot of hugs as people were able to charge their phones and begin communicating again. Lights seemed like less of an issue as this group had access to flashlights.

Improvised Panel Mounting Mechanism - Simple & Fast

Panel Mounted and Phone Charging

Panel Mounted on Window Facing South

Street Meets
Although we preferred to install the systems ourselves, we met a number of very nice families on the streets that were heading home before nightfall. They often were out of candles and almost always out of cell phone power. We trained them on the lights and phone charging and and gave them the kits.

What’s Next
We plan to go out again on Tuesday to distribute and install the balance of the kits. The situation changes rapidly so we’ll be reaching out to all our contacts to determine where the need is greatest and head directly there.

Room for Improvement
Voltaic learned an incredible amount yesterday about what’s needed in emergency’s like this from both a product and process standpoint. In future posts, we’ll focus on how we can greatly improve product design to make the system simpler and easier to use.