blog

The Fenix ReadySet was named as one of Popular Science's Green products of the year for 2012.

The ReadySet portable base station can draw and store energy from a number of sources: A 15-watt solar panel charges its battery in seven hours. Next year, Fenix will release a kinetic generator, which can help a bicyclist do the same in less than an hour, along with micro hydro and wind generators. The company also released a power API and developer platform, ensuring that entrepreneurs can extend the system’s capabilities even further

If you're a long time Mapawatt reader, you know we're big fans of human bicycle power production and investigating how much power a human can generate on a bike, but the thing that has been lacking has been a seamless integration between the bicycle generator stand and an electrical energy storage device.  With the Fenix ReadySet and their soon to be released Velo Bicycle Generator they seem to solve the problem.  From their website on the section for charging the portable storage unit:

The Velo is a powerful 100W peak kinetic generator that installs on most single speed bicycles in seconds and fully charges the ReadySet in just under an hour. The Velo provides reliable and economical on-demand power anytime and anywhere. Just 5 to 10 minutes of pedaling produces enough electricity to fully charge a mobile phone or power an LED light for over two hours (Usage ratios may vary depending on bicycle pedaling speed, the size of your mobile phone battery or the power of the lighting product).

The ReadySet is mainly targeted for areas without electrical grid connection who need power storage for lighting or powering portable devices, but I can see many clean energy enthusiasts and/or cyclists who would be excited about this device.  If you're going to ride your bike on a trainer during the winter, why turn all that energy into heat when you can turn some of it into electricity.