Sustainability Week 2025
This text is a part of a collection of sustainability-themed articles we’re working to watch Earth Day 2025 and promote extra sustainable practices. Try all of our Sustainability Week 2025 content material.
I get it, it is laborious to purchase sustainable tech. There’s quite a bit we come up in opposition to when attempting to represent what a responsibly made gadget even appears to be like like, from manufacturing’s toll on the planet to the very nature of consumerism and the waste it inevitably leaves.
To not point out that almost all tech merchandise we buy have some type of design obsolescence baked into them that intentionally forces us into shopping for the most recent ‘premium’ model due to restricted lifespans – and do not even get me began on the subscription mannequin (nicely achieved Charlie Brooker for driving this level residence in the perfect episode of Black Mirror season 7). It is a thoughts area to say the least.
Fortunately, there are firms on the market which can be slowly attempting to vary this repetitive cycle we appear to have gotten ourselves into. A kind of is a Swedish startup referred to as Exeger, which is behind the world’s first solar-powered headphones.
Earlier than the primary self-powered cans have been launched in 2021, utilizing solar energy to cost on a regular basis devices wasn’t very commonplace. That is primarily as a result of it provides an extra price to creating the merchandise, creates design complexities to make sure ample daylight, and has restricted effectivity.
It is why we have solely ever actually seen photo voltaic tech added to watches and pocket calculators. However quite a bit has modified for the reason that first photo voltaic calculator was launched within the Seventies (anybody nonetheless have a Sharp EL-8026?), and that is primarily attributable to breakthroughs which have helped resolve many of those limitations.
Exeger’s patented photo voltaic cell expertise, generally known as Powerfoyle, has been breaking down lots of these earlier limitations, which is why it’s more and more discovering its means into extra merchandise. Listed here are three new devices utilizing Powerfoyle that you would be able to quickly get your fingers on.
Self-charging audio system
Exeger has been doing numerous work to switch its Powerfoyle tech to be higher suited to headphone makers.
One of many first firms to make the most of photo voltaic expertise in headphones was Urbanista – learn our Urbanista Miami overview and Urbanista Los Angeles overview for an in depth rundown of their efficiency. They’ve since added this expertise to extra of their product vary, together with the Phoenix wi-fi earbuds and Malibu transportable speaker.
There’s additionally been the Adidas RPT02 and Philips A6219 GO headphones, however the newest producer to leap onboard the tech is Merry Electronics, which has partnered with Exeger to make solar-powered headphones for manufacturers to purchase.
Merry Electronics produces tech for quite a lot of firms, all of which have completely different ranges, sizes, and value factors. This meant Exeger needed to make changes to Powerfoyle to go well with a wider vary of merchandise. One of many greatest limitations they confronted, Exeger’s Alexander Faust tells me, was the scale of its photo voltaic cells.
“By going slimmer, not solely can we [adapt to] extra aesthetics however we will attain extra merchandise with significantly better design, which implies that by way of design and price we will actually tackle all of the completely different value bands, together with headphones beneath $100,” Faust mentioned.
Photo voltaic-powered headgear
As extra firms and producers accomplice with Exeger, Powerfoyle is discovering its means into numerous various kinds of on a regular basis tech merchandise.
One of the crucial sensible ones I received to see at CES 2025 earlier this 12 months was a helmet. This wasn’t only a case of including Powerfoyle tech to gather and retailer the power from such a sun-drenched on a regular basis merchandise, although.
As an alternative, the Cosonic helmet is designed to energy an inner microphone and audio system in addition to an LED taillight on the again of it for anybody who rides a scooter or bike, significantly supply drivers who require the additional options.
“This [type of prodcut] is specializing in the Uber Eats of China. You may have completely different firms, one is named Meituan, [but you also have] Ele.me, Sam’s Membership, Daojia. You may have like 5 prime huge ones they usually all promise to ship to your home in lower than half-hour,” Faust defined, including “there are 15 million of these riders in China alone.”
There’s additionally the POC Omne Everlasting helmet, which is aimed extra at on a regular basis cyclists who need an additional little bit of security when using throughout low visibility. This does not have the additional audio connectivity options, only a rear mild that routinely activates when in low-light situations.
Perpetual remotes
Exeger has already been working with firms like Hama and Omni to make solar-powered remotes.
One of many latest producers that Exeger partnered with in 2025 is the electronics maker SMK, to create a unique sort of self-charging distant. This one is not on your TV however for an equipment as an alternative.
Identical to the e-reader e-notetaker shows that Exeger makes, this proof-of-concept air conditioner distant makes use of the identical sort of show to assist protect power. It additionally has a useful charging suggestions characteristic that permits you to know the place to put it to get probably the most mild.
Outdoors of remotes, Exeger can be engaged on solar-powered sensors. Two of the most recent are the Kapsch Elumian, which is the world’s first light-powered tolling transponder, and the Leedarson Gentle-Powered Door Window Sensor that alerts you when a window or door is open.
A brighter future
Powerfoyle is not the one photo voltaic expertise that’s discovering its means into on a regular basis merchandise. There are many different firms experimenting with photo voltaic tech to make it extra power environment friendly and adaptable than these first few solar-powered energy banks that got here out (weren’t these horrible?).
In fact, solar-powered devices aren’t going to utterly resolve excessive power consumption, however each little bit makes a distinction, and if we will ship that message as customers to the businesses we purchase from, then sustainable options are solely going to change into extra accessible.