If you’re a 30 Rock fan—as you darn well should be—you’ll know that the most recent episode concerned a relationship-straining visit to Ikea. Glibly stated, the thesis of the show was that that particular haven of affordable Scandinavian design habitually provokes small aesthetic disputes that often turn into protracted soul-searching existential agonies. If, however, the company’s recent launch of the Solvinden line of solar/wind powered lamps is any indication, I take the opposite view, for these smart and sustainable lighpieces are a reliable source of existential (and actual) illumination.

Solvinden Solar and Wind Powered Lamp. Manufactured by Ikea.

Ikea’s Solvinden Lamps Harness the Sun and the Wind

Ikea is betting that there’s no disputing, among couples or otherwise, the wise resource use and sustainable smarts of Solvinden. Certainly we’ve seen solar-powered lamps before, but Solvinden—which translates from the Swedish as “sun-wind”—spins in the slightest breeze, earning a reservoir of battery juice to keep it charged for up to 12 hours.

Ikea tells us that the often coincidental occurrence of both these natural phenomena—especially if you live in L.A. (or Colorado for that matter)—results in zero electricity cost. Solvinden has a rough charging time of nine to 12 hours in sunlight and roughly 24 hours in a light wind of four meters/second, but these stats will vary depending on the intensity of the sunshine.

Solvinden’s aesthetic is clean and clear, with a good dose of whimsy. Lamps come standard with an LED bulb with a life use time of approx. 20,000 hours. Solvinden is available as a floor lamp or hanging pendant with a variety of shade colors, from plain white to a yellow/pink combo suggestive of spinning ribbons in the wind.

About the Manufacturer: A company that needs no introduction, Ikea is the standard bearer for affordable, easy-to-assemble Scandinavian-inspired furniture. A mainstay of college students, young couples, and savvy septuagenarians in equal measure, Ikea focuses on making well-crafted, aesthetically appealing design available to a large demographic: “offering a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to afford them.”