Bright energy: Japan is known far and wide as the Land of the Rising Sun, but it desires to be known (again) as the Land of the Solar Charge. Once the world's leader in installed solar power, Japan has since 2005 slipped second behind Germany, which now has about double Japan's capacity. Politicians have been vowing to recharge clean-energy initiatives since even before the July G8 summit in Toyako, Hokkaido.
Sanyo Electric is doing its part, strengthening its green credentials with its revolutionary Eneloop brand Solar Light. The device is the size of an office dictionary (242 mm by 186 mm), albeit much slimmer (28 mm), with a handle on one end. A solar panel covers one side, with an array of nine LED lights on the other side. The internal rechargeable battery can gather power from the solar cells or the included AC adapter.
In addition to the LED panel on the side, another LED light is built into the handle to project a flashlight beam. The panel light, which has three brightness settings, casts a general glow sufficient to light a small room or a tent. The clincher is a USB power port that can be used to recharge a cell phone or other portable devices. An included shoulder strap makes lugging this 800-gram box around easier.