IZMIR, Turkey
What do you do when you're high in the mountains and you need to recharge your mobile phone? Tie a solar panel to your donkey, of course.
Shepherds and animal breeders in the western city of Izmir, Turkey, can now charge their electronic devices, listen to the radio and even log on to their laptops while working on remote mountainsides, thanks to a new system they improvised using one of the oldest systems of transport -- donkeys.
The Izmir Sheep and Goat Breeding Association started a project with a private solar energy company a couple of months ago to provide breeders and shepherds with electricity in rural areas, the association’s president told the Anadolu Agency.
Shepherds place the battery on the saddlebag, while wrapping the solar panel around the saddle, according to the firm that provided the solar system.
- New generation bag for shepherds and animal breeders
The private solar energy company designed a portable solar system called the “Shepherd bag,” which can be transported anywhere, the general manager of the firm, Ugur Polat, said.
The shepherd bag contains a charging device, two sockets, and a radio, Polat said. The shepherds are very pleased with this technology, according to Polat.
“They get informed about the world with this system," he said. "They can charge mobiles and use a lighting system to see their flocks. Some of them bought also tablet computers and with this system, they get a chance to use their computers.”
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