Cross a yurt with a bus-station locker, add local mini wind turbines, solar panels and viola! You’ve got the LG Skycharger that can recharge up to 104 mobile phones in an hour. It stores any unused energy in a bank of batteries so you’re good to go recharging even when there’s little sun or wind. The geeky gravy on top comes in the form of screens with weather info and stats on power generation and consumption within the station.  More info and the fun-filled evolution of this renewable power station originally from GotWind.org after the jump.

LG Skycharger Green Design Footprint

This self-sustaining, free-standing outdoor power station provides a secure place to get green energy while you’re away from traditional sources of gizmo juice. It charges handsets made by most major manufactures with the exception of Palm. The unit itself, which debuted at the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show, consists of 104 lockers with a variety of chargers tied into the central system. Just plug in your phone, lock the locker and come on back in an hour or so when it’s charged up.

LG Skycharger Development History

The very first charger of its kind, the unit was developed by Got Wind Dot Org premiering as the Orange Wind Charger in 2007, and later  at Glastonbury music festival in 2008 as the RechargePod,  otherwise referred to as the rather prolix  ”First freestanding Renewable Energy mobile phone charging station.”  Reborn as the “Recharge Pod Mk2″ with an increase of power in its renewable system, the station now provides 104 individual secure charging lockers. A new central column is designed to provided a marketing space while also making the station faster to build, take down and operate, making it ideally suited to a tour environment. Finally rechristened by LG as the Skycharger appearing at CES 2009, its inventors hope to deploy it at festival sites and events around the World later this year.

via GotWind | Skycharger UK »

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