The Portable Solar Power Unit was developed to assist hurricane victims in Grenada in 2004. It was originally designed as an upright, dollied unit but was prone to tipping in high winds. A 1000lb capacity garden wagon has become the carriage of choice. Hence, the name became Solar Wagon. Due to the severe lack of solar modules and being told the U.S. government was frowning on the exporting of energy components to other countries, I was forced to drop the project.

A few months later, the earthquake tsunami struck Indonesia and, again, I was moved to help. I started placing orders for parts to complete 1000 units for donation to various locations throughout the region. Next I needed a drop location and a way of distributing them to devastated areas. The wagons I would be sending contained everything necessary to start rebuilding - including a skill saw, drill with bits, extension cord, emergency radio, light source, hammer, and gloves. The power source was two 200-amp gel-cell batteries charged with a 120-watt solar panel which ran a 3000-watt A/C 120/240 volt inverter.

I had used the Solar Dolly for two years as a portable power source instead of a gas generator. I knew the Solar Wagon was the power source to help people start rebuilding. I wrote or spoke to nearly forty aid agencies around the world trying to get the wagons where needed. The response was thanks, but no thanks.... we're waiting on the military to bring generators.... there are other ways you can assist. Try holding a fund raiser or a bake sale...Just send the cash, we know best how to use it...

I was in total disbelief! Here I had seen CNN reports of surgeons working under kerosene lamps and thousands of displaced people living in tent cities waiting on UN biscuits.So I wrote to CNN News and the Indonesian embassy to inform them of my offer. Where could the wagons be used? No response came from either. Too bad I wasn't Brad Pitt making the offer. They would have jumped all over that. Anyway, after a month of trying to make this happen and not finding any interest whatsoever I was asking myself if the tsunami really happened or not. I had not been doing any of my own home projects and was inclined to rescind the offer in light of lack of interest. I have donated them to local rescue agencies and held workshops teaching people how to build their own.

I've used solar for electricity 12 years now, originally using used panels from an experimental power array. They are 30-years-old and still making power. It's not magic. Eventually people will grow to accept solar as a valid power source.

The electrons are all around us. We just have to harness them.