Creation of a solar suitcase
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This invention, which was ultimately produced in Germany, is designed to provide electricity during natural disasters and in remote areas.
It is a portable solution that took time to come to fruition, following decades of perseverance, and it could significantly transform access to energy, especially in critical situations.
The Solar Suitcase: An Invention Born from the Need for Energy Independence
To understand the motivations behind the ingenious creation of the solar suitcase, we must go back 44 years. On October 10, 1980, a 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck northern Algeria, particularly in Chlef, causing considerable devastation.
At that time, Abene was just a young researcher, but he was profoundly affected by this catastrophic event. “I have been working on this solar suitcase since that earthquake in Chlef. It was a disaster; the city was flattened, and there were many deaths. The Red Cross and the Red Crescent told me: ‘We need to do something,’” he recalls, as quoted by the Belgian newspaper Sud Info.
Now 67 years old, Abderrahmane Abene, who later earned his doctorate at the University of Valenciennes and became a researcher at the Polytechnic of Mons (Umons), sought to provide a solution to help victims of such disasters.
Thus, he designed a portable and autonomous device in the early 1980s. It took decades of hard work to realize the solar suitcase, which was finally produced by the German company Lucas-Nülle at a factory near Cologne.
Lionel Hemme, project manager for Lucas-Nülle, states: “We collaborated with Abderrahmane Abene to produce his invention, adhering to industrial standards and ensuring mechanical stability with safe operation. We worked for years to achieve this product. The concept was tested in Algeria in real-use conditions.”
A Versatile and Multifunctional Solution
Dr. Abene’s solar suitcase is a compact structure measuring 1.5 meters long and weighing 150 kg. It takes the form of a mobile cart equipped with a battery to store energy and three foldable, adjustable photovoltaic panels, providing a total nominal power of 420 W (3×140 W).
Although initially designed for critical situations, the solar suitcase would offer significant advantages on a larger scale. For the Algerian researcher, it “can be secured during severe weather, hailstorms, or sandstorms, among other things. It also allows nomads, to whom I am very attached, to have electricity for a fridge, for example.”
In short, it is a valuable asset that can be used “in remote areas for agriculture and water pumping, as well as in medicine for individuals needing dialysis.”
The solar suitcase, which is self-sufficient, also fits among the useful tools for environmental protection, a cause dear to Dr. Abderrahmane Abene: “You can connect cameras to monitor forests, the planet's green lungs, to prevent fires.”
Indeed, some regions in Algeria are annually plagued by devastating wildfires, highlighting the importance of using surveillance tools that can be powered by the solar suitcase. Additionally, an educational model of Dr. Abene’s invention has been specially developed for schools and universities.
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