Tea Candle Powered Generator Charges Dead Smartphones and Lights Homes in Off-Grid Villages

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich., May 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Tellurex Corporation is currently seeking Kickstarter.com pledge funds and distributors to help launch its new, light and portable electrical generator. About the size of a small soup can, this power on demand thermoelectric system converts the heat of a single tea candle into an electrical current capable of providing bright indoor or outdoor light using its plug-in lamp attachment. It can also charge the batteries used in cell and smartphones through its battery charger attachment. This generator was designed to provide power during electrical blackouts in homes after violent weather events and in any off-grid location from a camp site to a home or school room in the developing world.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120529/DE14492-a)
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120529/DE14492-b)

The compact, patent pending Tellurex tPOD1™ ("tPOD" is an acronym trademarked by Tellurex that stands for thermoelectric Power On Demand) can and will provide up to four hours of continuous bright light from one five cent tea candle. With power generated by a candle, the tPOD1 system can also recharge a companion battery pack that, in turn, will provide adequate power for limited smartphone calls, emergency text messaging and GPS rescue signal use.

The company sees the tPOD1 as a safe way to deliver much needed light to millions of homes and buildings located in the extensive off-grid regions of the world. Homes located in most developing countries that have little or no access to an electrical power utility may now have immediate on demand useful and economical light. Light produced from the tPOD1 allows households to reduce or eliminate hazardous fires fueled with kerosene and fire-brands that are common and produce toxic fumes. At certain Kickstarter pledge levels, Tellurex commits to deliver a tPOD1 to developing countries through Rotary International.

Tellurex management believes that North America will be a major market for the tPOD1 because it addresses both disaster preparedness and recreational backcountry activities. On the disaster front, the United States is now battered by 1,000 tornados per year, more than any other country. Blackouts have increased 124% over the past two decades. Emergency medical situations and rescue operations are part of that scenario.

Effective first aid and food preparation while in isolation and awaiting rescue both require a good source of light. The benefits of GPS capabilities now part of many cell and smart phones require power. Battery powered devices will exhaust their power, often with no readily available means of recharging. The Tellurex tPOD1, which can address those needs with a candle, may become as important as flashlights, smoke detectors and fire extinguishers in domestic homes or workplaces.

"Whatever your opinion, cell phones are the most common way of initiating rescue, and most search and rescue teams endorse their use ….." writes Seattle Backpacker Magazine. The challenge is to keep your phone battery charged in the backcountry or to have a way to revive a dead cell phone during a prolonged blackout. A bag of just six tea candles at five cents apiece can provide the power needed to partially recharge the generator's companion battery pack and enable a smart phone to power GPS or satellite tracking signals that guide emergency rescue operations. Each time the battery pack is exhausted, it can be recharged, and the locator signal can be transmitted anew with texting capabilities on standby.

Tellurex is seeking funds to launch this innovative product worldwide through a crowd-funding platform facilitated by Kickstarter.com. Those interested in pledging should visit the Tellurex web site www.tellurex.com for a link to the Kickstarter.com offer.

The light, portable Tellurex electric generator system is rugged and has no moving parts. Its fuel source is readily available around the world and does not degrade during long-term storage. When lit and positioned below the generator, the tea candle is protected from wind, and the integrated generator and lamp may be moved and interchanged while it's operating. Weighing in at less than twelve ounces, the device fits easily into backpacks or auto glove boxes.

Tellurex Corporation is a Traverse City, Michigan-based, pioneering company in thermoelectric applications. The company develops its own products and also collaborates with others to advance thermoelectric technology into medical testing equipment, wireless sensors and a variety of applications in both power generation and thermal management.

With good support through Kickstarter.com pledges, the new Tellurex tPOD1 will change the odds for disaster victims, support backcountry recreation in a new and convenient way, and improve the living standards, health and productivity of millions of the world's citizens living in off-grid villages.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT, Peter Schmitz, [email protected], 231-947-0110, or visit www.tellurex.com/products/tPOD1.php

SOURCE Tellurex Corporation