This DIY Power Bank Uses Renewable Energy to Charge Your Phone

Power banks are a great option for keeping your phone charged on the go, but they aren’t exactly energy efficient. What if there was a way to charge your device using renewable energy? One hobbyist might have the solution with their new DIY Green Power Bank.

Made using a DIY solar power bank kit, the Green Power Bank features an electronic board equipped with a 6V solar panel, micro USB input, USB output, a battery suitable for polymer rechargeable lithium batteries, and a CPU security system that protects the device from overcharging, overload, overheating, and short-circuiting. The panel can be removed from the power bank as well, which can be used as an LED flashlight. It also makes it easy to keep the power bank out of direct heat to keep it safe.

It’s a fairly economical design using parts easily found online and actually works. It won’t power your phone as fast as a standard charger, but if you have the patience, then it’s an environmentally friendly way to charge your phone. While it’s just a prototype, the creator, Pierre, hopes that more people and institutions around the world will pick up on the project and start building their own Green Power Banks.