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by kbenson 3972 days ago
Don't both have their places? There are benefits to having a power source that is a) not dependent on a resource that is not available at all times and b) does not require a charging period.

It's sort of like people in the late 19th century saying you shouldn't support the development of automobiles, because boats are much more efficient way to move cargo. While true, it does nothing to address the fact that in some cases the use of a boat makes no sense, such as transporting to a land-locked location.
2 comments
ris 3972 days ago
"Don't both have their places?"

It's more that this "invention" has been bouncing around for a while and gets an unwarranted amount of attention for the amount of energy it can provide. Weird to think, but solar isn't "sexy" in the same way.

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scott_s 3972 days ago
"D'oh, we forgot to charge our solar light earlier today."

"No worries, we'll just use the gravity light for now."

That scenario seems reasonable to me. The point is not the amount of energy the technique provides. The point is the utility people get out of it. And I see a place for both; GravityLight and Solar Aid seem like great projects.

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aplummer 3972 days ago
I think they would be good in a mine safe room or something, no need to ever replace batteries right. There are a bunch of cases you might not have a charged light.
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kbenson 3972 days ago
Maybe that "unwarranted amount of attention" is because it has a different set of requirement for use than solar which makes it particularly attractive. Considering only the energy efficiency and not how it could or would actually be used by the target consumers seems shortsighted to me. It may yield a the most efficient product, but it may not yield the most effective product.
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ris 3972 days ago
Yeah, sure, but that set of requirements is, I'd argue anyway, probably more appropriately served by something clockwork or something crank-based that charges a battery.
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shaneofalltrad 3972 days ago
exactly boats are still used when an automobile can't. Just the same as in low light areas, gravity is your only option. Plus I think gravity is probably a cheaper solution to offer, as the weight can be used from local resources while a solar panel is an added cost.
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DanBC 3970 days ago
Gravity is not the only option.

This isn't a boat with oars. This is a boat where you're given some wooden spoons.

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