Startup to launch solar panel window blinds

28 June 2024 Power Electronics / Power Management

A Durban resident, frustrated with her inability to install backup power in her rental home, has developed a prototype of a solar-powered window blind. 29-year-old Lida von Benecke says the blinds offer a solution for people living in sectional title homes or renters who may not install power systems due to ownership restrictions.

After first developing the prototype in a garage, she founded a company called LC Dynamics, which has been nominated for various innovation awards. The company has also been awarded R200 000 funding from the Department of Science and Technology’s Technical Innovation Agency. The technical development of the product was a collaboration with the Tshwane University of Technology.

The blinds take on the regular design of Venetian blinds with each slat being a dedicated solar panel, initially made from salvaged solar panels. A motorised component is available that can rotate the slats automatically for optimal solar production during the day.

Each blind is connected to a battery and produces enough power for smartphones, lightbulbs, and powering Wi-Fi routers and security systems.

For more information, visit www.lcdynamics.co.za

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