The New York Times reported today that worldwide consumer electronics gadgets–including mobile phones–are consuming 15% of household power demand. That percentage is expected to triple over the next two decades, worsening the greenhouse gas emission problem. Cell phone battery life is a key issue in the mobile industry, while solar power cell phones are potential solutions.
Gadget owners in the U.S. now have an average of 25 products per household: iPods, cell phones, games consoles and, one of the most power-hungry, flat screen TV’s that suck electricity from the power grid even when turned off. If you own an HDTV, here’s a comparison chart. (iPhone owners should check out a mobile app available from Instamac Corporation that remotely measures household power consumption.)
Both government regulatory agencies–such as the California Energy Commission–and industry associations are setting new maximum rating standards to increase consumer electronics’ energy savings in the near future.
Mobile phones and other mobile and portable electronics devices are a major contributor to the energy drain, although smartphone owners might argue that they’re using less electricity with mobile convergence (i.e. one device that combines mp3 players, cameras, computing and other features in one rather than multiple devices).
Offsetting energy savings from smartphones, however, is their popularity and growth. More people today have all-in-one phones (13%) with high growth projections during the next decade.
Industry Response
The GSMA, one of several industry associations, as well as 17 mobile operators and manufacturers are responding to the issue. Wireless industry experts believe that a standardized energy-efficient phone charger could reduce mobile phone power usage by 50% or more.
By 2012, the industry seeks a universal micro-USB charger that will save energy when charging phones while reducing consumer confusion over the myriad types of mobile chargers.
Solar-Powered Mobile Phones
Meanwhile, solar-powered cell phone technology continues improving. Samsung’s Blue Earth mobile phone is the first touch-screen, solar-powered phone on the market.
Developing nations and continents, where mobile phone growth is exploding, face additional power consumption issues, due to lack of electrical outlet availability.
Safaricom, Kenya’s largest mobile phone operator, has released a $35 solar-powered phone made by Samsung. It’s encouraging that the mobile handset industry is responding to the power issue faced in developing regions of the world.
Nearly two years ago, I proposed a solar-powered Android OS phone. Considering that battery manufacturers have not kept current with mobile phone energy requirements–especially smartphones operating on 3G networks–it’s critical that mobile handset manufacturers and their component suppliers install batteries that meet the demands of increasingly power-hungry cell phones.
While mobile phones are only part of the global consumer electronics power challenge, cell phone and component manufacturers must optimize mobile phone power consumption.
