Leave it to Switzerland to come up with an ultra-efficient means of independently producing clean energy and enough drinking water for 6,000 people in Africa- per day.

Developed and patented by Ardeo AG in St. Gallen, Switzerland, the Mobile Cube is a modular power and water plant. Producing zero emissions and compact enough to be set up within an hour, the Mobile Cube combines solar and wind energy, requiring no fuel and incurring minimal maintenance costs. Read more »

The average lowest retail cost of a large photovoltaic array is approximately $4 a watt (down from $7.50 in 1990). The most common size module used is about 4′ 5″ x 2′ 2″ and produces 120 Watts. To power a small, occasionally used island cabin (approx. 400 sq. feet) a simple system can cost under $1000. For this price the system would include a 120W PV module and module mount, 2 deep-cycle batteries, a charge controller, a 400W inverter, fuses, and wiring. This type of system could run lights, radio, small TV, etc. but not a typical refrigerator. The module would produce about 0.5 kWh/day (under good solar conditions) and the batteries would store a useful 2 kWh.

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The sun provides an abundant, renewable and efficient source of energy. The amount of solar energy intercepted by the Earth every minute is greater than the amount of energy the world uses in fossil fuels each year. There are two types of “solar panels,” electrical and thermal. The electrical type is generally referred to as a “photovoltaic module” or a “solar module.” It is a solid state device or an assembly of solid state devices and produces electricity only. These devices are usually seen as long flat panels mounted on rooftops perpendicular to the arc of the sun. The electricity created is either used immediately or stored in batteries. The thermal type of panel generally consists of water piping, glass and insulation and is generally much larger in size (often 4′ x 10′) and is used to heat water for the home.

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