London’s red phone boxes to be converted into solar-powered chargers
Mayor of London Boris Johnson has backed the "solarbox" project to convert the cities world famous red telephone boxes solar-powered mobile chargers
Some of London's world famous red telephone boxes will be transformed into free, solar-powered mobile chargers to provide carbon-neutral energy in the city.
Unveiled on Wednesday, the "solarbox" was invented by two graduates from the London School of Economics (LSE) and can be used to charge phones, tablets, cameras and other devices.
The first pilot ‘solarbox’ was launched for public use in Tottenham Court Road in London's main central shopping district on Wednesday and is equipped with a solar panel to provide a clean energy source.
A second solarbox is scheduled to be opened in January with more set to follow.
London's red phone boxes are increasingly unused but it is not known exactly how many will be converted into solarboxes.
The installations can be used free of charge and the costs of them are covered through in-kiosk advertising.
Kirsty Kenney and Harold Craston, won £5,000 funding for the project from the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, in his 2014 Low Carbon Entrepreneur competition this summer.
Johnson: "In our modern world, where hardly any Londoner is complete without a raft of personal gizmos in hand, it's about time our iconic boxes were update for the 21st Century, to be useful, more sustainable.”
