Goal Zero Brings The Solar To CES

By TWICE Staff On Jan 30 2012 - 6:01am

LAS VEGAS — Goal Zero introduced at International CES two new consumer- oriented solar-power products.

The company’s new Sherpa 50 portable solar recharger, which was a Consumer Electronics Association Innovation honoree for portable power, is a compact device — it weighs 14 ounces and is 1.5 inches thick — that boasts a 50-watt-hour power capacity.

It features an external power port that enables users to charge laptops directly from the recharger, thus eliminating the need for an AC inverter and the computer’s AC power cable. Instead, a user can plug the device directly into the Sherpa 50 using one of the included connector cables.

The Sherpa 50 also offers DC and AC (with inverter) outputs, as well as 1-amp USB ports.

It charges fully via solar panel in 5-10 hours or within two to three hours via wall outlet and can, in turn, power a smartphone for up to 10 hours, an iPod for 25 hours, and add an extra hour of life on a depleted laptop.

On a much grander scale, Goal Zero displayed its Yeti 1250 solar generator, the company’s highestcapacity portable recharger to date, which is being marketed as a trade-up from conventional gas-powered backup generators.

The Yeti is 16 inches tall, 11.6 inches wide and 14.5 inches deep and weighs 103 pounds. It features multiple ports to charge several devices at once, including AC, 1.5-amp USB, 33-amp 12-volt DC, and 6.6 amp 12- volt DC. All the ports are activated with a flick of the master switch, but can also be micromanaged by power group to individually protect circuits.

The Yeti 1250 charges fully in 20 to 22 hours via sun or in 16 to 20 hours via a wall outlet and in turn will power a laptop for 30-plus hours, support a printer through 18,000-plus pages of printing, keep a full-sized refrigerator cold for two to four days straight, and maintain subzero temperatures in a chest freezer for up to eight days, according to Goal Zero testing.

Unlike traditional gas-fueled generators, the Yeti 1250 never produces more power than is being drawn from it, so users needn’t worry about wasting power.

“At Goal Zero, it’s not just about making an amazing product — it’s about the application of our products in consumers’ daily lives. We consistently strive to take out the complicated guess work of utilizing a solar unit and build simplicity in, so that we can deliver the most dependable and useful solutions to our customers,” said Joe Atkin, Goal Zero president. “I think consumers will be eager to see the strides we have made with the new Sherpa 50 and Yeti 1250 as they are both not only some of our most advanced products to date, but they each address a major consumer need.”

The Sherpa 50 portable recharger will be available in June as a part of a number of full system kits, or separately for $249. The Yeti 1250 solar generator will be available in May, both as a single unit ($1,499) and as part of Yeti 1250 solar generator kit ($1,999) which also includes two Boulder 30 solar panels and a carrying cart for the kit.