This article was updated on October 2023
When it comes to solar power, it seems that there are more and more gadgets popping up in the market.
Solar is also growing in the energy market as a popular source of energy. With more solar fields being constructed, more home owners putting solar panels on their homes, and solar beginning to take precedence in the energy world in general, we’re taking some time to focus on a few quirky uses for solar power.
Check out our list of five great– and slightly unusual– ways to use solar power.
With millions of solar installations happening globally every year, we could be looking at the beginning of a future that is at least partially powered by our very own Sun. Viva la solar!
Related: The Best Solar Products in 2023
1. Solar Tents
Those who are really into camping may already know about this solar-powered tent!
When it comes to the outdoors, now you can camp in style.
You can charge your smartphone or phone so easily without having to drain the battery or turn your car on to get your phone up a little bit.
With everyone having smartphones these days, it’ll be nice to have such a cool and convenient feature built into your tent.
A solar-powered tent is perfect because generally, most people go camping during the warmer, sunnier months.
Not only can you easily charge your phone, you can also produce a little heat for chillier nights AND provide light at night without requiring a flashlight or lamp. There are many varieties out there, so research and find the one you like the most!
2. Solar Dog Houses Heaters
What could a solar dog house possibly do?
As it turns out, quite a bit. This unusual solar product often means that your little pup will have his fill of a heating system that provides extra warmth at night and during the cooler seasons.
Not only that, there can be a heat-activated wifi security camera, LED lighting, and sometimes even music. Not bad for a dog’s home, eh?
3. Solar Carports
Carports are very popular among airports and urban areas, and after all, the cars must be left someplace.
Carports get a little solar upgrade that provides shelter from the blistering sun and generate their own power.
These structures create a shaded covering that does not require maintenance but creates energy and is economical at the same time!
4. Solar Huts
What is a solar-powered hut?
Essentially, it is a small hut-style home that uses the sun to power the home on a small scale. From Africa to India to Singapore, people are channeling the energy that our sun provides and going off of the grid.
They can use these solar huts to have lights on into the evening, charge their phones, power small appliances, or cook food. This idea isn’t so much unusual as it is uncommon, and it’s being put to use all over the world. Hey, it’s an extremely useful idea!
5. Solar Tech Chargers
You can power your technology increasingly more by way of our wonderful sun!
Everything from flashlights to tablets and thermostats can be powered by a portable solar charger.
Just plug into the gadget of your choice and you can start putting some juice into your tech instead of having it slowly drain out.
Portable solar tech chargers allow you to charge up a tech item no matter where you are, from out on the bike trail to hanging out at the park.
This is great for people who really would rather use solar to power their lives over fossil-fuel-generated energy.
No matter what it is, from your music player to your phone, you can use this device to basically power up anywhere! It’s a totally different mentality from being reliant on an electric plug at a Starbucks.
The world is your oyster, and the sun will power your tech devices– that’s incredible!
At the end of the day, solar products are on the rise. It’s not only a more planet-friendly technology, but it’s also just far more useful than relying on electricity! Unless it’s a cloudy day, you’re going to get the full benefit of this tech. Or just save up energy from those sunny days and carry it over.
Solar is cool, fun, and totally convenient, just like these products. Savor the unorthodox novelty now, because in the next ten years, solar is going to be everywhere.
Take a look at these awesome solar-powered gadgets available on Amazon right now:
- High-Quality Portable Solar Charger - water-resistant, shock-resistant and dustproof solar phone charger, featured with carabiner, compass, and 2LED flashlight. Solar power bank provides more convenience in your daily or on your trip. Awesome for outside activities such as camping, hiking, and other emergency use. The solar USB battery pack can be regards as a nice gift.
- Two Charging Way - External battery charger with solar panel can recharge by solar or outlet. Compatible with your iPhone, Samsung, HTC, Nexus, Go-pro Camera, Tablets and other USB devices. More than 1000+ recharge lifecycle.
- Dual USB and Powerful LED Light - It makes it easy to charge two smartphones simultaneously or a tablet at full speed. 2 led lights can be used as flashlight with Steady-SOS-Strobe mode. Five pilot indicators show the status of the battery charger timely. The green light on when charging by a solar, blue light on when USB charging.
- Safety for Use - Made of eco-friendly silicone rubber and ABS PC material. CE, FCC, RoHS certified, reliable and durable. Solar charging is a charging way for emergency use, and solar panel charging efficiency will be influenced by natural conditions and random factors, such as day and night, season winter and summer, sunny, cloudy, rainy, and so on, so it may take a long time to be charged.
- Best Warranty for Solar Phone Charger - 12 months Warranty, 24h online after-sales service, Friendly replace policy. We take pride in the quality of our products. Any related issues are guaranteed with friendly REPLACEMENT or REFUND, and also support 24h online after-service. Please CONTACT US if you have any problems with the items from HQT-US Store.
- ♡ Car Emergency Escape Tool: With the seat belt cutter and glass window breaker, it will be helpful to cut the jammed seat belt, break the stuck window and bring safe escape in emergencies;
- ♡ Rechargeable Emergency Power Bank: This solar flashlight could be charged with included USB Cable (4-5hrs) or Solar Power (30hrs), using the USB cable to connect your phone with the flashlight and charge your phone for emergency;
- ♡ All-In-One Survival gadget: Emergencies do happen, but you don't need to be unprepared. Use the hammer and seatbelt cutter to cut strings when camping, and the hammer to break anything or even defend yourself. It has a built in compass and light flasher - which means you'll never be left in the dark, stuck in a car, lost, or out of touch with this device;
- ♡ Hands-Free and Safety: With a powerful magnet on the side of the flashlight head, you could attach it to the car or other metallic surface to use as a work light, camping lamp or emergency warning light;
- ♡ Reliable and Necessary: It comes with a weather resistant anodized aluminum alloy body, easy to grip, tail with a compass for outdoors; Not just for auto emergencies, also great for working, camping, or hiking. Note: there is only one flashlight in the package.
- 【 High-Quality Portable Solar Charger】: 38800mAh Solar bank is made of eco-friendly material which has an excellent ability to dissipate heat. It has a protective cover attached to the outside of the charging port, so it has a waterproof and dustproof function. The total power of 74Wh is suitable for air travel. It is the best gift for your family and friends on important festivals, such as Halloween, Thanksgiving, New Year's Day, Christmas, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, etc.
- 【3 Ports Highly Compatible with Multiple Devices 】: The solar-powered charger is not only ready to charge the USB powered devices including your iPhone, Camera, Tablets and other USB electronic devices but also a portable charger can be recharged by cables (Micro) and not suitable for mobile phones with USB C. Built-in 5V/ 2.4A USB Outputs, make it easy to charge two smartphones simultaneously or a tablet at full speed. The solar charger can be regarded as a nice gift.
- 【Practical 2 Flashlights 】: The solar phone charger features 2 powerful bright flashlights and a compass, which is essential outdoor equipment. 2 LED flashlights can be used as flashlights with Steady-SOS-Strobe mode for emergencies. The indicators indicate the status of the battery charger timely. The green light is on when charging by a solar, blue light is on when USB charging. The solar travel power bank is an ideal companion for camping, hiking, and other outdoor activities.
- 【Two Different Charging Methods 】: 38800mAh External battery charger with solar panel can recharge by sunlight or outlet. However, solar charging is affected by the intensity of light and its area, its charging time will be very long, and solar charging can only give you a trickle of current. The USB cable in the package is only used to charge the solar charger. It is not recommended to charge other devices, which may slow down the charging efficiency due to incompatibility.
- 【Reliable Service for Solar USB Charger】: 24h online after-sales service, we will fast, friendly, and hassle-free customer service team is there for you. If you have any questions about our products or services, please do not hesitate to contact us, and let us know. Contact method: "Order history"-" Account service" → "Seller" → "Contact" Please feel free to contact us.
- ▶【3 Charging Modes】No electricity? No worries. Thanks to its 3 charging methods, the emergency hand crank radio is always ready to go! The powerful 2000mAh battery can be charged via a USB cable, the solar panel, or the hand crank.
- ▶【2000mah Power Bank】A dead phone can be life- threatening. Don't let your phone die when you need it most! Simply plug your phone or other small electronics into the USB port of this 2000mAh emergency power bank for some extra juice.
- ▶【A Survival Tool】Hurricanes, tornadoes, rainstorms, fires, and more--the Esky emergency alert radio will be a great survival gear and supply. It's a weather radio, power bank, emergency flashlight and SOS alarm emergency kit.
- ▶【Ultra Bright Light】Don't let the dark get you down. The 140 lumen built-in 3-LED emergency flash light will cut through the darkness and maximize visibility.
- ▶【Portable & Lightweight】This lightweight AM/FM/NOAA solar crank radio is a hassle-free way to listen to important weather or news updates. Keep the portable radio in your trunk, your suitcase, or carry it by hand with the attached lanyard. The emergency radio is even small enough to fit in your pocket.
- Bird Feeder with AI Camera: Our smart bird feeder is equipped with an advanced artificial intelligence camera capable of identifying over 10,000 bird species. Designed with full-color night vision, it captures clear pictures and videos day and night, providing a delightful bird-watching experience for bird lovers. The AI camera notifies you of any feathered visitors via the VicoHome app on your phone, allowing you to enjoy bird watching from anywhere without disturbing the birds.
- Smart App Control: Our bird feeder works seamlessly with the "VicoHome" app, keeping you informed whenever a bird stops by. You can view the bird feeding activity in real-time through the app (compatible with 2.4GHz WiFi). With built-in two-way voice and a siren alarm, you can deter unwelcome visitors like squirrels with just a tap on the app.
- Solar Powered and Cloud Storage: The bird feeder kit comes with a solar panel for energy conservation and environmental friendliness, addressing climate change concerns. It automatically takes photos of birds and uploads them to the cloud, organizing them into a collection to admire and share with friends and family through social media.
- 1080P HD Video Camera: Featuring a 140° wide-angle lens and 1080p high-resolution camera, our bird feeder allows you to capture vivid details of visiting birds and marvel at their colorful feathers. The roof is designed with IP65 waterproof protection, ensuring the camera and seeds remain dry for optimal performance. The seed capacity is 5.5 cups or 1.3 liters, providing ample supply for feathered friends.
- Ideal Gift for Mother's Day: This camera-equipped bird feeder makes an incredible gift for parents, children, the elderly, and anyone passionate about bird watching. It strengthens family bonds and creates shared moments as you marvel at the beauty of birds together.
- ❣ ❣ ❣Warm reminder: Each box is delivered with double-sided adhesive, which is very interesting whether it is placed in the car or on the desktop.
- ❣ ❣ ❣Perfect for car dashboards, bedrooms, homes, desks, etc.
- ❣ ❣ ❣Shake the doll to put on the car, desk or bedside, boring or tired day to bring you happiness whenever you dissipate fatigue every day, radiant, shaking your head in a cute way, everything is the best mood.
- ❣ ❣ ❣Give a friend a gift, give your family a little more happiness, give your lover a surprise, and add some fun to the boring journey.
- ❣ ❣ ❣Skin Friendly: When the bombs sponge head meets water, it becomes bigger and softer. It is portable, skin-friendly, no dead ends and not dirty at the whole process.
- ✅ BUZZER VIBRATION: The device vibrates by buzzer, releases ultrasonic waves and transmits vibration through the ground, which can resist moles, hamsters, voles and rodents.
- ✅ EASY TO INSTALL: This product is easy to install and requires no wiring.
- ✅ EXCELLENT WATERPROOF PERFORMANCE: It has the characteristics of rainproof and waterproof, and can work continuously even in rainy days. But it can't be soaked in water for a long time.
- ✅ SOLAR - Equipped with solar panels and rechargeable batteries, it can absorb sunlight, no need to replace the battery, save energy and save electricity.
- ✅ GREAT QUALITY : Multiple tests are effective, you can buy with confidence.
- Solar powered decorative stick light provides outdoor illumination.
- 7 rotating colors from white, pink, red, orange, green, purple to blue.
- Integrated solar panel store energy by sun light.
- Dust-to-dawn design automatically turns itself on at night for up to 8 hours at full charge.
- Easy installation, no wiring required for use.
- 💖Solar Power Air Freshener: directly powered by solar energy, which drives the motor to rotate, full of sense of technology, no need of cell, eco-friendly.Products need direct sunlight.
- 💖Ocean Perfume: mild and non-irritation fragrance, pure plant extraction essential oil, safe for children and pregnant woman, fill the carriage with good smell, dispel peculiar smell and cover smell of cigarettes
- 💖Fashion High-Tech Desgin: Two rings to rotate cystal ball, like a interstellar screen to show on, with solar power
- 💖Compact size for space-saving: Without occupying much space, you can easily place this diffuser on your desk, countertop
- 💖Easy to install: Unscrew the cover, put the perfume pad into and screw the cover, tear the tape to fix the air freshener