WE HAVE UPGRADED THE FORTY2 TO A BIGGER BATTERY!!! Now with 500 watt hours!!

Help us bring a Utility In A Box to reality. 

Planeta Sustentavel calls the Forty2 the future of solar panels: http://t.co/nu7ygdIE (Thanks for the thumbs up, Brazil.)

Silicon Prairie News with a great story (and by far the best team picture): http://spne.ws/nO

IdeaMensch interview with our founder: http://ideamensch.com/brian-gramm/

GigaOM spreading the love: http://gigaom.com/cleantech/now-on-kickstarter-a-solar-utility-in-a-box/

Toms Hardware with an interesting note: http://www.tomshardware.com/news/Kickstarter-Solar-Charger-Power-forty2,16980.html

Great conversation with GizMag: http://www.gizmag.com/forty2-personal-portable-solar-battery-energy-device/23737/

Keetsa talked about the Forty2: http://bit.ly/QbtEJY

The critics have said it wouldn't work. That it couldn't be built in the US. That it couldn't generate enough power for a remote home, while still being small enough for children to carry. That ideas this good only come from "the Valley". 

It does work (as you see in the video) - in fact, the solar power works very well. It is going to be Made In The USA. It will power small refrigerators, phones, TV's, and other small appliances, and your 12 year old can carry it around. OK, it didn't come from Silicon Valley, but it did come from the Missouri Valley. 

What Does the Forty2 Do?

The Forty2 is an all-in-one unit that combines all the elements of a grid into one small package. It combines power generation (solar), power storage (Lithium Ion batteries), power inversion (power cord ready), and efficiency monitory (brains) in one mobile unit. Truly a Utility In A Box. 

Unlike other things you may have seen come to market, this isn't a kit. Or a dressed-up battery with a solar trickle charger attachment. This is true solar power that incorporates storage for when the sun isn't shining. 

It is powerful enough to run small appliances, light up a small army of LED lights, charge several laptops or a couple dozen cell phones, or power a pretty big TV. We don't have enough space here to list all the ways it can be used - rather, the question is "How do you think you would use it?"

The Project

We need your help with a first run of at least 250 units of the Forty2. Suppliers are lined up and the manufacturing ready, we just need help with the budget. Specifically, we are looking for help with the tooling budget (the molds and dies that are used to produce the unit). The supply chain is ready and local - we just need to give them the green light. 

Once the first run is complete, we will a) send them out to our Kickstarter friends so you can help us make it better; b) get them in the hands of potential customers to give it a try; and c) get ready for mass-production. If you help us hit our goal quickly, we think we might be able to get them to you in time for Christmas this year.

The Tech Specs for Forty2

• Solar: ~180-200 watts
• Battery: 350 watt hours Lithium Ion
• Brains: Let's just say they are 'advanced'
• AC Outlets: 3 of them built in to the unit
• Kits: None. This is an all-in-one product.
• Things it can run: Dorm fridge, HDTV, fans, a lot of LED lights, laptops, many phones, stereo, etc.
• Where to use it: In the US, you can use it for tailgating, camping, as back-up power, or anything else where you don't have access to a plug-in. Internationally, as you can see in the video, it becomes a life-changing device. It is simply amazing to think what this can do for people.
• Made: in the USA

Some Background Info

As you can see in the video, we spent A LOT of time making the design look sleek. We think you will agree that the design elements rival what the guys in Cupertino come up with - only we didn't have their budget to do it. 

Simple. Durable. Portable. Beautiful.

It is fun to be at the beginning of something this powerful, and we hope to someday see the Forty2 as common as gas generators are today. Which is impressive for a few guys working on the project after 'day jobs'. This literally started in Brian's basement. 

We realize that this Kickstarter is not the end goal, but rather an important project along the path of bringing the Forty2 to reality. Peppermint Energy was formed as a company to take concepts like Forty2 and create a path to reach a market. Yes, we are a business. No, we are not a charity. However, we are the rare bird where the business does a great deal of good in the world. We need more businesses like this.

Also, in case you were wondering - yes, we will make more. If you help us spread the word and this Kickstarter goes nuts, we will be able to make a larger first run to make sure everyone gets their Forty2. The 500th one is easy, it is the first 250 we need help with...

Other Rewards Photos