Upholsterer uses solar panels to generate business charging devices

Amidst the chaos and devastation caused by Hurricane Beryl, St Mary upholsterer Cecil Coleman has found a way to help his community while earning by charging phones, laptops and tablets, using his solar panel system.

With the loss of electricity in his community in Aleppo, last week Wednesday when the category-four disaster struck the island’s south coast, Coleman was forced to pull out his panel which has been sitting idly by for the past five years.

But after setting up the two-panel system on Sunday, Coleman said he was inspired to start charging the devices.

“There is currently a shop around the corner charging phones for $100, so mi say, mi have a solar panel why not use it,” he told The Gleaner on Tuesday when the news teams spotted the sign outside his gate, also advertising the service for the same price.

On that same day, which is the day he started, Coleman shared then that he had received four phones from one customer.

Since then Coleman said he has expanded the business to include laptops and computers, which range between $250-300, and has charged over 20 phones.

According to him, the 11-watt two-panel solar system can charge up to 12 devices at once and with an extension more devices can be added.

So far, Coleman said community members are happy with the service as it helps them to stay in contact with relatives and to keep abreast of what is going on.

Also, he said it is convenient for those who are closer to him as the shop is a little distance away.

One community member, he said, told him, “Thank God fi you, mi nuh affi go way round deh suh.”

Asked why it had taken him so long to use the system, Coleman, said he was waiting until he gets his premises.

Coleman, who was skilled enough to set up the system at his home by himself, explained that it was set up in a small section of his house and could power a small refrigerator, washing machine, compressor, blender, iron clothing, and charge the devices.

“I was just setting it up to be like a standby,” he said, adding that he might have to reconfigure it to get more power if the outage persists for much longer.

Coleman said aside from the opportunity that the hurricane presented to use the panel, this form of renewable energy is “the best way to go”.

Comparing it to the generator, he said, “With a generator you have fumes, and a lot of noise while this is more environmentally friendly and you don’t have to purchase any gas to use it.

“It has a lot of benefits, you just need the money to purchase it and the maintenance is not costly,” Coleman added.

He said although the solar panel would be more expensive to purchase than the generator, in the end it works out cheaper as it does not require fuel.

Additionally, Coleman said aside from using solar panels to reduce or eliminate electricity costs, if the system is big enough and is generating excess power, people can sell some of the power to the Jamaica Public Service Company.

Now that he has started to use his system, Coleman said he is motivated to purchase more panels to power operations at his upholster business, which he also operates from home.

tanesha.mundle@gleanerjm.com