Among USF St. Petersburg’s newest additions are three solar powered charging stations, two of which are mounted to patio tables along Bayboro Harbor and one placed near the fountain on Harbor Walk.
The stations are equipped with solar powered outlets to plug in laptops, notebooks, cell phones, PDAs, personal gaming devices, digital cameras and recorders, or whatever power thirsty gadget students may have tucked away in their book bags.
The two charging tables sprout umbrellas that are decked out in USFSP colors and logo. At first glance, they look like giant metallic mushrooms. Sci-fi movie props, maybe. But in addition to providing shade, they support solar panels, and have LED lights for those students given to late-night study habits.
The product is the brainchild of Joe Kobus, inventor of these solar powered charging stations, and owner of Enerfusion, Inc. According to Kobus, the two Solar-Doks, and the Solstice, the charging post near the fountain, like all Enerfusion’s products, are self-sustaining, made from recycled materials, and provide off the grid green energy.
Kobus came up with the idea for the charging stations after having trouble finding an outlet to charge is laptop at in a Denver airport. He realized the world did not anticipate the need for charging portable electronic devices, which are becoming ever more popular. Recognizing this need, Kobus decided he wanted to do something, and do it in a sustainable way. Thus, he invented the Solar-Dok and the Solstice.
Kobus discovered USFSP’s interest in green energy through Zachary Oppenheim, head of USFSP Campus Recreation, at a national conference in Pittsburgh.
Oppenheim first saw the solar powered charging stations at the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education national conference in November 2011 and discussed the product with Kobus.
The Solar Doks and Solstice are funded by the Student Green Energy Fund. Catie Wonders, president of the Student Environmental Awareness Society proposed the fund’s use for this project.
Kobus believes that this is a very visible hands-on solar experience for students.
“They are aware of solar but have seen it from afar. They see it on rooftops, or in a field where there is an array, but they don’t really get to touch and feel solar like the Solar-Dok allows. They sit down, plug in, they know everything coming from this product is generated by the power of the sun.”
Kobus and his nephew worked well after dark last Wednesday assembling the Solstice unit near the fountain, the light needed to complete their project provided by the school’s new solar powered walkway lamps.
The Student Green Energy Fund is currently accepting proposals for green energy or waste reducing projects for the spring semester funding cycle. More information can be found at usfsp.edu/sgef.
news@crowsneststpete.com
Photo contributed by John Funke.
