Sanyo Electronic, one of the industry leaders in manufacturing rechargeable batteries has announced a solar charger for its next-generation line of rechargeable batteries called Eneloop.

Eneloop (meaning energy and loop) batteries are earth friendly, rechargeable nickel metal hydride batteries that stay in line with the company's "Think GAIA" vision, meaning that they last longer, and can be recycled at the end of their life. They come pre-charged, and can maintain 85% of their charge even after a year in storage or standby.

The introduction of the solar charger (NC-SCI) is good news for environmentalists because it means that you can further protect the environment and save on energy. Charging takes anywhere from 75-300 minutes depending on the weather and the type of battery being charged. You can also output the charge to other devices via a USB terminal. The NC-SCI will be available by the end of November, most probably in Japanese markets first.

Sanyo also released a portable AC adapter called the Eneloop Kairo. Though much details aren't available yet and we aren't sure exactly how it works, what we can tell you is that whatever it is for, the Kairo can last about 5 hours of use. It also comes with a PTC heater which is a built-in thermostat which prevents overheating. The Kairo (KIR-SIS) will be available on December 1st.

Via Press Release