Every January, the annual trade show CES takes place, showcasing some of the most incredible innovations happening in the world. This time around, CES 2025 took place from Jan 7–10, 2025.
Organized by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), the event that was held in Las Vegas saw a flood of new technology products, some weird and some wonderful.
The main focus of these new tech innovations continues to be around AI, a trend that has taken over the world already, having gone mainstream this past couple of years. This included Nvidia (NVDA -3%) unveiling Cosmos, which will make robots and autonomous vehicles more capable, Gemini’s infusion into Google TV, and Honda‘s (HMC -4.44%) futuristic-looking EV ‘0-series’.
However, AI is not our focus today; it’s solar tech. As solar panel efficiencies and durability are ramping up, integration into novel products becomes intriguing. So, we’ll be covering all kinds of solar-powered products demonstrated at CES 2025.
Click here to learn how solar power can provide more than just clean energy.
Garmin Instinct 3 Watch
To start small, the German-based Garmin (GRMN -1.05%) introduced its ultimate outdoor and adventure smartwatch, Instinct 3. The smartwatch is equipped with solar technology to give it as much as five times more battery life than the previous models, making it very efficient for extended trips.
The solar-powered option actually offers unlimited battery life with sufficient sunlight, while the AMOLED models deliver up to 24 days in smartwatch mode. In GPS-only mode, it will last up to 130 hours with solar while only 40 hours for other options. If all satellite systems are used, the battery life is reduced to 28 hours for non-solar options and 50 hours for solar options.
The smartwatch is action-packed, allowing one to keep tabs on their daily steps, calories burned, floors climbed, and more just from their wrist, in addition to the ability to track heart rate variability, stress, blood oxygen saturation, breathing, sleep, menstrual cycle, and more.
The rugged smartwatch also features a built-in flashlight, fiber-reinforced polymer case, scratch-resistant displays, and thermal and shock resistance, making it perfect for those looking for durability and reliability. It further comes with multi-band GPS with SatIQ, TracBack routing, and a built-in altimeter, barometer, and compass, in addition to a wide range of sports apps like hiking, skiing, and HIIT.
Click here to learn about thermal earrings.
EcoFlow Power Hat
You may be wondering just what purpose a solar-powered hat serves. Well, it is to charge your smartphone. No need to worry about depleting your phone battery while outside; just wear a hat, and you are good to go.
The hat in question is EcoFlow Power Hat, for which fashion is not the priority. Rather, functionality is. So, for $129, it offers an embedded set of Monocrystalline Silicon solar cells and a pair of charging ports.
The small solar panels are embedded in the brim of the hat, which has different sections, each one having its own little set of cells. Meanwhile, on the brim’s underside is an LED light in a small plastic box that tells you that the hat is generating a charge.
Now, the ports (USB-A and USB-C) are in the attached rubber tab, which you have to pull back in order to charge two devices at a time. With a maximum output of 5V / 2.4A, the hat will help charge your portable devices like a phone or tablet. Just have a wire with you to connect your device with it.
Click here to learn about Self-Charging Wearables with Solar Displays, which might just be on the horizon.
Lenovo Keyboard
Yes, even keyboards are now solar-powered. This one’s from the well-known consumer electronics company, which also showcased a gaming device — Lenovo (LEN.SW +0%) Legion Go S as the first third-party SteamOS handheld — at CES 2025.
Its eco-friendly wireless keyboard meanwhile makes use of a photovoltaic panel instead of traditional batteries. Lenovo’s self-charging keyboard combines advanced photovoltaic technology with fast-charging supercapacitors to charge and store energy.
The way it works is the high-efficiency light-collecting panel sits on top of the keyboard, where it constantly absorbs either solar or ambient light while supercapacitors store energy from the captured light.
In addition to these capabilities, which “redefine efficiency and support more sustainable computing practices,” the keyboard, with a price tag of $69.99, comes with a spill-resistant design, a three-zone layout, and connection ability through USB-C port and Bluetooth.
Baseus Security Camera
The technology company Baseus launched its solar-powered S2 security camera at CES this year. At the price of $149, the wire-free S2 features advanced motion detection and solar tracking technology.
Built on the foundation of Baseus S1 Pro, the latest product offers far more clarity with ultra 4K resolution and advanced night vision for more detailed visuals and monitoring. As for its solar-powered tracking system, it is designed to capture maximum sunlight thanks to its ability to rotate the solar panel 40 degrees in either direction. This rotating design allows Baseus to offer more efficiency over static panels, generating double the energy and reducing the need to manually recharge it.
This isn’t all. The latest edition of the camera, which supports up to 256GB of local storage, also comes with dual sensor detection that enables it to achieve greater accuracy in movement tracking.
Besides Baseus, Bird Buddy also unveiled its garden monitoring camera called the Petal, which features 4K resolution and advanced AI recognition technology that allows a comprehensive view of plants and insects. The camera comes with an optional solar panel to eliminate the need for frequent battery changes while ensuring continuous operation.
Anker Umbrella & Jacket
One of the exciting solar-power innovations at CES 2025 came from Anker, which unveiled its umbrella and jacket.
When it comes to the solar-powered cloak, the electronics manufacturer presented a concept for what it calls the “world’s first wearable solar panel.” The jacket uses a new generation of perovskite solar cells and LED light strips, offering a 30W maximum input. There’s also a USB-C output to charge your phones on the go.
Perovskite is a new type of high-performance and low-cost solar cell that is now extensively utilized in solar panels. According to Anker, its perovskite cells can offer 30% “better performance than crystalline silicon solar cells in bright light, and double the efficiency in low light.”
Anker’s other product was the Solix Solar Beach Umbrella, which stands just over seven feet tall and has a diameter of 190 cm. It has an IP67 rating, which measures a device’s protection against water and dust. Much like the jacket, the umbrella also uses perovskite solar cells that can generate an output of as much as 100W. Using its USB-C and XT-60 connections, you can charge Anker’s Electric Cooler and have a perfect summer.
The company also announced a new 140W wall charger with a built-in screen at CES 2025. The charge has four USB ports positioned on its underside to offer better support.
Aptera Solar EV
Not only are hats and jackets running on sunlight, but even vehicles will soon be powered by solar energy. This innovation comes from Aptera Motors, which is expecting its vehicle to hit the market later this year.
“It’s a story of convergence where we are solving the world’s challenges (like) sustainability.”
– Spokesperson Patrick Pannett
The Aptera Solar EV is a three-wheeler wrapped in solar panels and recharges while you are driving. While it can only carry two passengers, there’s space for 32.5 cubic feet of cargo. The car that “embodies years of innovation and relentless pursuit of energy-efficient mobility” achieved a record drag coefficient of 0.13 during test runs.
More importantly, the car that will cost $40,000 and has 700 watts of solar generation capacity can pull as much as 40 miles of free range every day. Las Vegas, with its sunny weather, according to its CEO Chris Anthony, can benefit from such a technology that doesn’t burn petroleum or stress the grid. However, on not-so-sunny days, the vehicle, which has a 45-kilowatt-hour battery, can be plugged in for DC fast charging beside Levels 1 and 2.
Jackery Solar Roof
An established brand in domestic solar generator systems, Jackery introduced a new lineup of energy products at CES 2025 that include Solar Roof tiles, a high-powered charger, and a mid-sized solar generator.
The company’s curved solar roof shingles deliver a cell conversion efficiency of over 25% and can withstand extreme weather conditions, backed up by a 30-year warranty. Available in terra-cotta red or obsidian, the Solar Roof tiles are designed to work with Jackery’s other solutions, such as the 5000 Plus flagship solar generator and scalable HomePower Energy System (ES) that can produce up to 11.4kW of power.
Jackery also announced its DC-DC car charger at the show, which can give you up to 600W of charging but only works with its own solar generators.
AC Future Homes
After making a splash with its award-winning smart home designs at last year’s CES event, AC Future was back with another revolutionary idea. This time around, AC Future has been offering different kinds of mini smart homes, which can be preordered right now, and over 300 customers have already done so. Deliveries, however, aren’t expected to start until the end of 2026.
So, what are these tiny high-tech homes? Well, there are three different kinds: AI-THu, AI-THt, and AI-THd. All three drivable homes boast high-capacity solar (5kw+) and many premium features.
The flagship AI-THu is just a 400-square-foot fully-furnished residence that is packed with AI smart technology to help you control lighting, cooling, heating, and premium appliances. With a starting price of $98,000, it also features a water recycling system, atmospheric water generation, solar panels, and much more. With these mini homes that also include an outdoor patio, the company aims to “create a versatile, refined living experience.”
Zoltux Instant Solar Kit
Plug-and-play solar energy with no hefty installation costs is what Zoltux’s $1,199 Instant Solar Kit promises. The company’s ‘Balcony Solar’ 800-watt panels take a mere five minutes to be installed and can be hung anywhere. The Instant Solar Pod includes solar panels, mounts, inverter, and wiring. Connecting the setup to the inverter, which is UL 1741 SB compliant and goes up higher than 120-volt, allows you to feed the power directly to an AC plug and be used.
While it removes the major installation process and its associated fees along with the regulatory hurdles, you would still need permission from your local energy company. To make sure there’s no feedback into the grid, Zoltux is making use of AI, which, in theory, won’t make the user subject to the regulations. Zoltux is a Kickstarter project that has yet to hit the market.
BioLite Backup Battery
This is yet another solution that doesn’t require a professional to install it. The slim battery system from BioLite is a power station that can keep your appliances, like a refrigerator, running when the power goes out. Instead of getting a big battery for your entire home, which is an expensive and complicated process, with BioLite’s battery, you can simply back up important appliances and rooms.
BioLite Complete package comes with two units, each battery having 1.5kWh of storage capacity. With this small size, the home battery qualifies for the 30% federal tax credit, allowing the company to sell it at $2,100.
The battery can be installed easily, all by yourself—just plug it into your existing outlet. When power goes out, it automatically turns on to keep devices running instantly. The app also keeps you informed about outages and lets you schedule usage and recharging based on the cheapest and most expensive electricity rates.
But this isn’t all; BioLite batteries can also be charged via solar panels, which the company plans to release this year. This means you can keep your appliances on for even longer. The company also sells portable solar panels as a sustainable energy source.
SolarVult’s Residential Charging Solution
SolarVult is an emerging company in the solar energy sector that made its debut at CES 2025 with its residential PV-ESS-EV charging solution. The all-in-one energy storage system is paired with an EV charge to offer a convenient and efficient solution for your home.
The system can be expanded with as many as seven 17.2kWh batteries to allow users to scale their storage capacity based on their needs. When used in combination with its EV charger, SUN-EVSE10K01-US-AC or SUN-EVSE12K01-US-AC, users can charge their electric vehicles using solar power. Now, to ensure safety, the system is equipped with a 20ms fast shutdown function, which shuts down the entire system automatically if any PV module runs into an issue.
For business operations, the company introduced the C&I PV-BESS-EV Charging Integrated Solution, which supports multiple power supply methods.
Prominent Solar Tech Company
Today, several publicly traded companies are also at the forefront of solar technology innovation. So, let’s take a look at a prominent name in the space, offering an investing opportunity for you to capture.
First Solar (FSLR -0.99%)
This solar technology company is a global provider of PV solar energy solutions that offer an alternative to conventional crystalline silicon PV solar modules. First Solar was founded over a quarter-century ago and, since then, has been fighting against climate change with its eco-efficient solar modules.
In Sept. last year, the company inaugurated the $1.1 billion fully vertically integrated thin-film solar manufacturing facility in Alabama, set to add 3.5 GW of capacity in the US once fully operational. According to Alabama Governor Kay Ivey:
“The facility is destined to become a major player in the US renewable energy market.”
This inauguration came only two months after First Solar commissioned the largest facility of its kind in the Western Hemisphere. The new R&D innovation center in Ohio is for the production of full-sized prototypes of thin film and tandem PV modules.
First Solar, Inc. (FSLR -0.99%)
With a market cap of $20.139 bln, FSLR shares are currently trading at $187.86, up 8.45% year-to-date (YTD). It has an EPS (TTM) of 11.61, a P/E (TTM) of 16.18, and an ROE (TTM) of 17.96%.
For Q3 2024, the company reported net sales of $0.9 billion, while its net income was impacted by a $50 million product warranty reserve charge. YTD net bookings were 4.0 GW, with 0.4 GW seen since the Q2 earnings call. The company expects its sales backlog to be 73.3 GW. First Solar ended the last reported quarter with a net cash balance of $0.7 billion.
“We remain pleased with the progress made across our business, navigating against a backdrop of industry volatility and political uncertainty, with a continued focus on balancing growth, profitability, and liquidity.“
– Mark Widmar, CEO of First Solar
At the time, Widmar also said that going forward, he expects their “disciplined, long-term approach” to help work through the continued volatility across the industry.
However, Wells Fargo (WFC -2.25%) recently lowered its price target for FSLR shares while maintaining an ‘Overweight‘ rating due to elevated interest rates and ongoing political uncertainty surrounding the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), a $369 billion package introduced under the Biden administration to provide incentives for renewable energy. The uncertainty is due to President-elect Donald Trump’s plan to repeal key provisions of the Act. On the flip side, Trump’s tariff plans on Chinese-made solar panels paint a bullish picture for First Solar.
So, this is what’s happening in the solar technology space, which reflects a promising path away from fossil fuels and towards cleaner, renewable energy for a healthier and more prosperous future for the next generation!
Click here for a list of top solar stocks.
