With the e-book reader market already heating up with increasing competition, LG is further working towards steering these readers in the 'green' direction with its new solar-powered prototype!

The LG 'green' e-book will feature a 10 cm-by-10cm solar cell, boasting a 9.6 percent energy conversion efficiency rate. The device will be able to work for a day after its TFT solar panel gets charged in the sunlight for four to five hours.

Noting that the easy-to-carry e-books are gaining popularity due to the fact they can store content worth a number of books, Ki Yong Kim, chief of LG Display's solar cell office, said that the idea of a solar cell e-book would offer the users the additional benefit of longer usage.

Kim reiterated LG's commitment to provide users with "enhanced convenience and value" to fortify the company's pioneering efforts in the sphere of next-generation, 'environmentally friendly' products.

Though there has been no formal disclosure about when a solar-powered e-book prototype will hit the markets, LG has stated that it will consider the 'commercialization' of the device once it can achieve an energy conversion rate of about 14 percent in 2012.

However, it is quite likely that the concept will take shape sooner than later - more so as the e-books are particularly well-suited to solar power, as most readers like to read in a bright, well-lit place!