Eco-friendly power bank leading the way in sustainability

Michelle Namulabiye and Mary Mwihaki are standing next to a huge screen gap machine fitted with more than 100 power banks that are charging.

 Next to the machine is a huge TV like screen that is displaying a bar-code.

 They were among the first to arrive at the Kenya Space Expo & Conference 2024 in Nairobi, themed “Space Technologies for Societal Benefits”.

“I work for Charge24.We are the first eco-friendly self-service power bank rentals and sales in the country,” Ms Namulabiye says.

She explains that unlike regular power banks, theirs has three charging ports, is light and can charge more phones as its boasts a capacity of 5,000 milliamperes (mA).

The power bank also has a unique censor that automatically switches off the gadget when you are not using it, thus helping conserve electricity.

Ms Namulabiye notes that the key to achieving high levels of renewable energy on the grid is the ability to store electricity and use it at a later time.

This means that because some renewable energy technologies such as wind and solar have variable outputs, storage technologies have great potential for smoothing out the electricity supply from these sources and ensuring that the supply of generation matches the demand.

“If charged during periods of excess renewable generation and discharged at times of increased demand, energy storage can help maximise the use of renewable energy and ensure that less is wasted,” she says.

“When your phone starts overheating, our power bank can sense that and it goes off until the phone cools down,” she highlights.

She tells Healthy Nation that environmental sustainability is a priority for Charge24.

This is why their power banks are made in Kenya using green technology.

“We have a talented IT team that usually comes up with the designs and harnesses green technology.”

Ms Namulabiye explains that only their hardware components are manufactured out of the country.

“We are six months old. We are growing and moving to the point where we will be able to make the hardware ourselves,” she assures, adding that by the end of the year, they target to have at least 1,000 charging stations around the country.

“We design these machines in Kenya but get specific hardware components from outside.”

Their main goal is to make all their machines and power banks solar-powered by the end of the year.  

A solar power bank is a power bank with a solar panel, which draws energy from the sun.  

According to Ms Namulabiye, the main feature of the solar power bank is that as long as the sun is shining, even just a little, it continuously draws power.

 The electricity stored during daylight hours is then saved for later use.

 Some solar chargers allow you to charge the power bank both by solar panel and with normal electricity by cable.

They are usually portable enough to take with you when needed, but some are large and therefore need to be placed in a specific location.

 Solar power banks come in different capacities usually between 1,000 and 50,000 milliamperes.

“We will also make the machines waterproof.”

She also explains that one of the biggest advantages of solar power banks is that the power generation is environmentally friendly.

Unlike fossil fuels, which produce exhaust fumes and cause air pollution when generating electricity, solar power banks use the sun's unlimited energy source to produce electricity.

This means that they produce no exhaust gases and cause no air pollution.

“So, by using solar power banks, you can help reduce pollution and improve air quality. Normally, charging devices such as your cell phone during a long trip can be a challenge, especially if you can't find a power outlet nearby.

But with the advent of power banks in the market, charging while traveling is hassle-free. Most solar chargers, just like standard power banks, are portable; meaning you can simply slip them into your pocket and take them with you wherever you go,” explains Ms Namulabiye.

The plastic casings of the power bank are made from recycled materials.

 “Another thing that make us eco-friendly is that the machines allow us to rent out a power bank and refurbish old ones for use.The machine has a chip that is able to calculate the duration you have used the power bank and the amount you are supposed to pay. You can also buy it at Sh1,000,” she says.

Currently, Charge24 are in 50 locations in Nairobi, five in Mombasa, six in Nakuru and three in Eldoret.

“We are located in schools, hospitals like Ruai Family Hospital, malls, boutiques, eateries, and plazas along Kiambu road among other places,” she tells Healthy Nation.

On safety, she assures that their power bank is safe, comes with a one-year warrant and cannot explode.

“We have not experienced any issues. So far we have sold over 2,000 power banks and rented out others for over eight hours and none has ever exploded because of the sensor that turns the power bank off in case of overheating,” she says. 

[email protected]