- Stove can charge a phone or any other USB gadget
- Used in New York to give power to residents following hurricane Sandy
By Mark Prigg
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For those weekend camping trips where not have a mobile phone is unthinkable, there is finally a solution - a wood-powered stove that also recharges your phone.
The CampStove can burn sticks, pine cones and biomass to generate enough heat and power to charge a phone, light, satnav or gadget that is USB chargeable - while toasting your marshmallows.
The quirky invention from US manufacturers BioLite converts the heat from the fire to power a fan and produce an electric charge.
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The BioLite Stove can charge USB gadgets by burning wood (which can also be used for cooking)
The BioLite CampStove can recharge any USB gadget, and can use wood or any biomass
They say it can provide enough power for a fully fired stove to cook a meal’s essentials when a device is on charge.
Users in the US hailed its effectiveness during Hurricane Sandy when over six million people lost electricity with some able to carry on cooking and keeping electronics charged using the device.
The stove’s powerpack slips inside the small 21cm by 12cm cooking chamber and is lit with a match or lighter, weighing in at 935g.
It currently retails at £80 ($129) in the US and is set to be available in stores in the UK next summer.
BioLite Chief Executive Jonathan Cedar said the firm had been overwhelmed at its popularity.
New Yorkers try the gadget on the streets of Manhattan
New Yorker's used the gadget in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy
He said: 'We spent years developing the technology to offer a unique benefit to outdoor travellers to never have to carry fuel again.
'It is exciting to finally bring this product to market and we have been blown away by the enthusiastic response we’ve seen from our users.
'Surplus electricity can be used to charge small electronic devices, making it a true on demand energy source.
'The CampStove is a convenient and green choice, reducing an individual’s carbon footprint and keeping fuel canisters out of landfills by using twigs and other solid biomass instead of non-renewable petroleum gas.'
A BioLoQuick spokesman said: 'Like a campfire, you can sit around the CampStove and watch the flames dance as you roast marshmallows and tell stories with friends.
'Half the planet cooks on open fires, leading to two million premature deaths each year and contributing to global warming.
'We’re using the same technology inside the CampStove to bring clean, safe energy access to families across the developing world.'
How it works: Heat from the fire drives a fan, which is converted to electricity to power the USB port
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