Orange will launch mini wind-powered phone charger at Glasto Small enough to attach to your tent

View more images

14 June 2007 11:12 GMT / By Amy-Mae Elliott

Orange today announced the launch of a mobile phone charger prototype that is powered by wind energy.

The Orange Mobile Wind Charger is the result of months of research into a viable alternate energy source to power mobile phones during summer music festivals.

Working with Professor Shashank Priya at the University of Texas at Arlington, Orange commissioned the research into an off grid wind-powered portable phone charger that would "take into account the unpredictable English climate to ensure a constant energy source".

The chargers on display will only be prototpyes, as the research is still at an early stage and not ready for a mass consumer rollout, but the models at Glastonbury will be fully functioning.

The wind turbine, weighing in at only 150grams, is small enough to fit into a weekend rucksack and could be easily mounted onto festival goers’ tents using a simple mounting bracket.

So whilst festival revellers are out during the day taking in their favourite bands, the turbine stores wind generated power in the control box, ready for when they return to their tent each night to recharge their phone.