High capacity power bank

Android smartphones were once notorious for consuming battery and not being able to last all day. But, over the last couple of years, handset manufacturers have improved performance in this area with Google taking steps to optimize its Android OS. While numerous handsets can make it through a full day, an external power bank can still come in handy when a power plug isn’t or won’t be immediately available.

Aukey offers a wide variety of products when it comes to charging, and its latest and largest power bank ( like RAVPOWER 26800MAH ), the PB-Y3, offers the everything you might need when it comes to charging modern devices. The unit comes in a matte black plastic shell and measures in at 5.9'' × 3.3'' × 1.1''. This isn’t the smallest or lightest (weighs in at roughly 1 pound) power bank you’ll ever use, but it does have some huge advantages for someone that might be off the grid for a while.

When it comes to the design, this isn’t something that’s going to impress your friends or colleagues when you bring it out, its subtle looks and design are uninspiring, but it gets the job done. While a previously tested model from Aukey offered a relatively solid feel, this 30,000mAh model feels a bit hollow and doesn't feel as well put together. Although the feel of the device isn't as premium as I would have hoped, for the duration it has been tested, everything worked fine and has held up to minor bumps and dings.
As for ports, this is where the external battery pack differs from previous models offering a USB Type-C port for input and output. This has been very convenient since a majority of smartphones that I have been reviewing or own are now USB Type-C. While there is no issue using a power pack that charges via microUSB, when traveling, you try to keep things as minimal as possible, and the PB-Y3 allows this. The power pack isn’t limited to just USB Type-C and does also offer a microUSB charging port.
As for alternate charging methods, the device provides two full-sized USB ports - one Quick Charge 3.0 and the other a standard 2.4A port. Both ports work as expected and offer relatively comparable charging speeds to a normal outlet. It isn’t the exact same, but I have no complaints, especially when it comes to the Quick Charge capabilities of the battery.
When you have any kind of battery pack it's important to know just how much juice you have left so you can be prepared and charge it if necessary. This is where the PB-Y3 and other similar power packs fall short in that they generally do not have a percentage display. The battery indicator on this unit is a bit basic and only offers three different levels to indicate status. On a battery pack with a smaller capacity this might be acceptable but when you are dealing with roughly a 30% window that equates to 10,000mAh, it is simply just too much to try and gauge how much charge you might have remaining. As mentioned previous, this unit does not come with a display and as such indicates battery remaining in three stages: white is 100-70%, green is 70-30% and red is 30% to 0%. If you aren’t keeping a proper tally of how many devices you’ve charged, things can be a bit frustrating.


In my testing I was able to charge up the Google Pixel XL (3,450mAh) three times and the LG V20 (3,200mAh) three times before the battery was depleted. In total, this is around 20,000mAh. Although Aukey claims to offer 30,000mAh with this battery, there is energy that is lost and no battery that I have tested so far offers the full capacity listed. You would effectively be able to charge your device once a day for almost an entire week with this unit.


The ultimate pain point for the PB-Y3 might seem like an obvious one but comes when you have to recharge the power pack. Unlike a smartphone that offers a substantially smaller battery or might even have fast charging capabilities - the Aukey has a HUGE battery and does not offer any sort of fast charging ability when charging itself. That means that once it's depleted, you’ll be leaving the unit on the charger overnight. In my testing, it roughly took about nine hours to gain a complete charge.
Overall, this is a very nice piece to have when you will be going out of town, in a location without power for an extended amount of time or need to supply power to multiple devices at once. Its versatility and its capacity are its shining points providing more than enough juice to charge up a handset or other devices several times. While Aukey has improved on the build quality in some areas (like rounding out the sharp corners that were found on previous models), it has also taken a step back with the overall construction (just doesn’t seem as sturdy). With that being said, this is very worthwhile purchase coming in at under $55 USD for anyone that requires more power than the average power bank.

2.6-MW solar project completed on former New York landfill

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and Onyx Renewable Partners announced the completion of the 2.6-MW solar installation at Saratoga Springs’ former landfill. The project will help New York meet Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s Clean Energy Standard requiring 50 percent of the state’s electricity come from renewable energy sources (like GOAL ZERO NOMAD 7 PLUS ) like wind and solar, by 2030.

Alicia Barton, President and CEO of NYSERDA, said, “Congratulations to the City of Saratoga Springs for having the vision to turn an under-utilized site like its landfill into an environmental and economic success story. Under Governor Cuomo’s leadership, local communities are leading the way in embracing opportunities like this to improve their environment and fight global climate change at the same time.”

The solar array is comprised of 7,992 solar panels across 14.6 acres on Weibel Avenue, at the site which also serves as the city’s transfer station. The project is expected to generate roughly 3,000 megawatt-hours per year, equivalent to the energy used by 370 homes. The energy provided is expected to offset approximately 1,605 metric tons of CO2 emissions. The project was constructed by Onyx Renewable Partners, a New York-based solar developer.

“Onyx is both excited and thrilled that the solar energy project will not only provide savings for energy usage for the City of Saratoga Springs, but it is also aligned with the City’s commitment to a greener and more efficient future,” said Onyx CEO, Matt Rosenblum.

The project was supported through NY-Sun, Governor Cuomo’s $1 billion initiative to advance the scale-up of solar and move the State closer to having a sustainable, self-sufficient solar industry. Since 2011, solar in New York State has increased nearly 800 percent and leveraged nearly $1.5 billion in private investments. NY-Sun is an integral part of Governor Cuomo’s Reforming the Energy Vision strategy to build a cleaner, more resilient and affordable energy system for all New Yorkers.

“The City and its residents are excited not only to see land previously used as a landfill turned into an amazing solar facility, but also for the economic and environmental benefits the Spa Solar Park will generate for Saratoga Springs,” said Finance Commissioner, Michele Madigan, project leader for the City of Saratoga Springs.

“It’s extremely gratifying to see the plan that we originally crafted come to fruition,” said Sustainable Saratoga Board Chair Harry Moran. “The Spa Solar Park is a great example of how engaged citizens can partner with local government to affect real change in the community. Creatively repurposing a former landfill for renewable energy infrastructure reduces our carbon footprint and dependence on fossil fuels while saving taxpayers money — it’s a huge win for Saratoga Springs.”

Michigan Program Finances First Megawatt of Solar, With Ambitious Goals Ahead

A clean energy source (for example: GOAL ZERO YETI 400 SOLAR GENERATOR KIT ) financing program in Michigan reached a milestone last month when it helped homeowners and businesses install 1 MW of solar energy across the state.

Michigan Saves — which was created by a $6.5 million Michigan Public Service Commission grant in 2009 — acts as a green bank by financing clean energy projects at homes and businesses. While it deals mostly in energy efficiency projects, it also removes the barrier of high upfront capital costs for solar installations.

Since June 2011, the program has helped finance installations at 132 homes and nine businesses, totaling $3.5 million in solar investment. In all, Michigan Saves has been involved with roughly 8,600 projects totaling $102 million in clean energy investment.

“We think 1 MW is pretty significant,” said Mary Templeton, executive director of Michigan Saves.

Under the program, property owners find qualified contractors and apply for a loan, which are backed by nearly a dozen lenders across the state. It will finance up to $30,000 for residential projects and up to $250,000 for commercial.

Unlike paying with a major upfront cash investment, through a credit card with high interest rates or through a home equity loan, Michigan Saves offers unsecured loans for up to 10 years at less than a 5 percent annual rate for residential projects. The length of terms for commercial projects are five years with various annual rates..

She added that few such programs exist in Michigan other than Property Assessed Clean Energy financing (for commercial properties in some counties) and some areas that allow on-bill financing. Comprehensive new energy laws that took effect in April also allow utilities to create residential on-bill financing programs, a plan that is still under development.

Templeton said utilities are “certainly a partner” in offering efficiency projects to customers. The program has also worked with solar outreach efforts around Traverse City as well as through the Solarize Michigan campaign in a three-county area near mid-Michigan.

A Michigan Public Service Commission member serves on the Michigan Saves board, but the agency no longer provides funding for the program, which now operates through fees on projects, Templeton said.

A 2016 annual report says the program saved 53,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions and nearly 61 million kilowatt hours of electricity, or enough to power 6,500 homes a year. The average annual energy savings is $310 per household and $7,615 for commercial buildings.

The growth in installations since 2011 also came as solar costs have declined. The program’s first solar customer installed a system at $6.05 per watt in June 2011, according to Michigan Saves. The homeowner earlier this year that pushed the program past the 1-MW threshold paid $3.06 per watt.

One of the Michigan Saves solar projects will reportedly eliminate $2,200 in a home’s annual energy costs without an upfront investment, while the monthly loan payment is about the same as the energy costs.
‘Thinking Big’

Last year, the Union of Concerned Scientists issued a report saying a $105 million public investment into a dedicated statewide green bank could lead to about $3 billion in private-sector clean energy investment. The report came amid legislative uncertainty over how clean energy would fare under the state’s energy law rewrite. Lawmakers ultimately agreed to increase the state’s renewable energy standard to 15 percent by 2021 as well as increasing energy efficiency spending.

Operating like a green bank, Michigan Saves offers a glimpse of such development envisioned in the Union of Concerned Scientists report, albeit at a smaller scale. Statewide, Michigan has seen $3.3 billion in renewable energy investment since 2008 when its original clean energy standards were adopted, according to the Public Service Commission.

“We are spot on with where we are versus where we expected to be” when Michigan Saves launched in 2010, Templeton said. The $100 million mark was a “huge milestone” that was initially set “not knowing where demand was. We know an awful lot more about the market demand out there,” she added.

Still, Templeton said the program’s board of directors has challenged the staff with setting higher goals for the next five to seven years with a 10-fold increase in investment.

“We’re setting our sights on financing $1 billion worth of energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in the next five to seven years,” Templeton said of Michigan Saves. “We’re thinking big. We were created to break down barriers in the marketplace, and we feel we’ve done a good job of that.”

Start Your New Business the Easy Way with These Tips

Most people would agree that starting a new business can be a big challenge. In addition to usual challenge of finding an idea and coming up with a plan to execute it there is so much paperwork to complete it might take weeks to get things moving. Do not despair! There are number of strategies and tools you can use to speed up the process. You don’t need to worry about the paper work at this stage. You should be more concerned with dreaming up creative ideas that will help you to make a profit. With that in mind, you just need to use some of the tips listed below. They will likely make your life easier and give you a good head start on the path to success.

Let someone else deal with company formation

To form a company, you have to create articles of association and lots of other boring stuff. In some instances, your accountant might offer to deal with the process for a small fee. That isn’t a standard service, but some professionals will do it on your behalf. Presuming your accountant isn’t willing to handle the task, you need to find specialists that will. Just search online for reputable experts who offer a company formation service. There are plenty of them around in almost every country. So, you won’t have to look far to get a great deal.

The 4 C’s of Cloud-Based Small Business Solutions

Whether you’re operating a brick-and-mortar retail store or running a consulting firm from a home office, as a small business owner, you are constantly looking for new ways to improve and streamline your day-to-day tasks. In the digital age, this means finding and implementing the right technology to manage your behind-the-scenes operations, so you can focus on the real reasons you started a business in the first place.

With that in mind, it’s no wonder that small business owners are moving more and more of their businesses onto the cloud. It’s a win/win scenario. The cloud simplifies the technical stuff while expanding the possibilities of where, when and how you do business. Still not convinced? Here are the 4 C’s of cloud computing that can transform the way you work.

Collaboration

If your business has employees in several locations or requires regular travel, it’s imperative that you have a means to communicate and collaborate with coworkers and clients when you’re away from your home base. Sure, you can rely solely on e-mail, but its limitations quickly become apparent when you have multiple people working on multiple projects simultaneously. By harnessing the power of cloud-based solutions, like Huddle, you can turn the chaos of collaboration into a focused, creative and stress-free endeavor. Not only can you create individual groups for each project, but you can track changes over time and avoid the unnecessary miscommunication and duplication of work that often comes when working remotely.

How can Businesses Improve Security and Efficiency with Plastic ID Cards

In places such as schools, hospitals, leisure centres, sports clubs, building sites and many different businesses, there will be lots of different people onsite. In all of these places, it is important that you are able to identify people. This is so that people are able to know who they are talking to and what position they hold, but also for security reasons. This can be achieved through the use of high quality identification cards. These cards should display a photo ID, as well as all the relevant information about the holder. These ID cards can serve a bigger purpose than this however, and they can help to improve the entire operation that the business or organisation is running.



The ID cards can contain a magnetic strip, and these can serve a few different purposes. They can be used to link to your HR system, and create, edit and monitor your cardholders and their activity. This will vary depending on the business or organisation, but it could include recent bookings made, times they’ve visited the establishment, equipment borrowed and much, much more. They can also hold important data about each cardholder, including next of kin, address, contact number and more. On top of this, the magnetic strip can also allow or restrict access to certain areas and this makes them particularly useful in places such as hospitals and police stations.