What is it?

Solar Bottle Lamp is a solar-powered light that is constructed from waste plastic bottles. The design idea is to reuse waste plastic bottles by attaching a 3D-printed solar lamp in place of their old plastic cap. It can be fitted into almost all soft drink bottles. Recycling helps make plastics more sustainable but sometimes, recycling can be less carbon-friendly than we would like for it to be so instead of recycling, why don’t we try upcycling? Upcycling is the process of reusing items in a way they were not necessarily intended for that gives them a new life rather than going into the trash or being sent off to be recycled.

👉 Solar Bottle Lamp project was featured on the cover page of the Volume-82 of Make Magazine

Why did you make it?

It is ideal for camping trips, especially when backpack space is tight. Just think, armed with this eco-friendly device you can enjoy a good glug, go wandering after dark and illuminate your tent without messing around with a separate light. I have designed this lamp by inspired from Moser bottle which was invented by Brazilian mechanic Alfredo Moser. The concept is that clear plastic beverage bottles filled with water and bleach can be fixed into the roof of an unlit building to refract sunlight around a room.

What makes it special?

Benefits:

• Reusing plastic bottles can significantly reduce pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and energy usage.

• The use of the solar lamp will decrease the amount of local air pollution and saves energy.

• It can provide access to solar lamps at an affordable price to a wide range of people living in remote villages that are deprived of clean energy access.

• It also came out as an alternative business model with the potential to strengthen the overall rural economy by generating technology-based livelihood opportunities.

The DIY kit includes the following items:

• 1 x Bare PCB

• 1 Set of Through Components for Hand assembling of the PCB

• 1 x 8mm Straw Hat LED (LED Variant is optional)

• 3 x Sets Of JST Connectors

• Enclosure is Optional

Note: Battery is not included in the kit. You have to buy