|
Abstract |
In this paper, we describe methodologies for using portable, solar powered charging kiosks to provide mobile phone charging to communities following a disaster. We do not strive to provide a comprehensive alternative to grid power, rather we focus on charging mobile phones and other battery-powered devices. The small size of portable solar systems come with a trade-off: demand for power may exceed battery capacity and solar power generation. In such cases, power output must be regulated in order to maintain the functionality of the system, or the system may be modified to produce more power by adding more solar panels, or to store more power by adding additional batteries. We model user demand for power and kiosk power generation, battery status, and power output to inform the development, deployment, operation and reconfiguration of such kiosks following a disaster. |
|