Solar Chargers on Campus
Charge your electronic devices on the go.
About
Portable solar chargers are now available to be borrowed from the Taylor Family Digital Library (TFDL) for free.
Students, faculty and staff members can now use their UCalgary ID cards to access the charges at one of the self-serve kiosks on the first floor of TFDL. Once borrowed, they are best used outdoors with direct sunlight, by a window or a naturally lit area. The solar chargers are tracked through the kiosk and must be returned on the same day (within 12 hours).
This initiative is a student-led Sustainability Leadership Innovation Program (SLIP) project that is supported by the Sustainable Development Goals Alliance (SDGA), Office of Sustainability, TFDL and a student-run club Emerging Leaders for Clean Energy (ELCE). Funding for this project is provided by the SDGA.
The SLIP Solar Chargers project provides UCalgary's campus community with mobile solar chargers to charge cell phones and various other electronic devices using energy generated from the sun. Part of the project is designed to encourage people to maximize the greenspaces available on campus by using the solar chargers in areas without electrical outlets.
The project aligns with the university's Climate Action Plan and research strategy, Energy Innovations for Today and Tomorrow by focusing on reducing emissions through advancing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 7 – ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.
Already borrowed one?
Have you borrowed a portable solar charger at UCalgary to charge your phone?
If so, provide feedback by participating in the survey below. This will also enter you into a draw to win a portable solar charger, each time you borrow one!
Each valued at $100.
Dayna Wiebe
Meet Dayna Wiebe, the student behind the chargers.
Wiebe is currently completing her Bachelor of Science degree in Natural Science with concentrations in energy science and chemistry. She is also working towards a certificate in sustainability studies. With a broad understanding of clean energy technology including solar, hydroelectric, geothermal, nuclear and fuel cells, Wiebe has developed insightful resources for the Energy Education Encyclopedia, led a UCalgary student group ELCE as co-president, and completed an internship with GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy.
Her passion for sustainability in energy systems has helped her develop a project that lets students utilize renewable energy on campus.