Creating fire without gas can be tricky without the necessary skills, and creating electricity in the middle of nowhere requires a device like a solar charger. But BioLite has created a device that combines the two: a camping stove that heats using fire and in the process produces power to charge your gadgets.
The BioLite CampStove works by using thermoelectric technology. A thermoelectric generator converts the heat from the fire into electricity, meaning you can power most things that connect via USB while boiling water or cooking a meal. The power output isn’t bad either — it takes 4.5 minutes to boil one liter of water and 20 minutes of phone charging can equal up to 60 minutes of call time. Naturally, this varies according to how hot your fire is burning.
It’s pretty simple to use, too. Just collect some sticks, pine cones, or anything small and wooden to use as fuel. This makes the stove carbon neutral, meaning your conscience can rest easy at night. It also means there’s no extra costs as you only pay $129 for the stove. That’s cheap compared to a regular stove , which takes just as long to cook and boil, but will cost you money for gas on a regular basis. The other alternative is to use solar energy to power your gadgets, but the downside is you need sunlight where as this stove can be used day or night to charge your devices.
The stove isn’t just ideal for camping, it’s also being used in developing countries to give families a cheap source of energy. Gas fires can be a health hazard, but BioLite bypasses that risk by not requiring gas at all. Plus, if the power lines are down, this stove is ideal because it is dual function.
http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2012/07/charge-your-iphone-with-burning-pine-cones/