Why no awnings made from flexible solar panels/ blankets?
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Why no awnings made from flexible solar panels/ blankets?

Derek

Derek

Well-known member
When you think about the amount of space an awning takes up when deployed, why is there not a company making these with flexible solar panels or blankets? Think about how much energy you would collect with that much space now collecting power. That could be huge. Just saying, this is one of those things I've been waiting for some time.

In the event I've missed this, do you happen to know of a company that has been toying with this idea?
 
Derek said:
When you think about the amount of space an awning takes up when deployed, why is there not a company making these with flexible solar panels or blankets? Think about how much energy you would collect with that much space now collecting power. That could be huge. Just saying, this is one of those things I've been waiting for some time.

In the event I've missed this, do you happen to know of a company that has been toying with this idea?
Click to expand...

Yep
They only sell to military though. Oh, and super expensive.
 
That would be super cool. Digging the idea, but these would not be as effective as what we currently have on the market correct?
 
The output will be along the lines of a typical flex panel.

Here is one of the military contractors
Tactical shelter
Something like this is tens of thousands of dollars and not available to us (yet)

Then there's these guys
Off Grid Trek

As you can see, off grid will sell you a 215 watt panel and controller for $2100. OH...and their on camo cloth....

Here's what we have. Flexible panels are "Thin Film" cells bonded to a flexible "plastic". What they did was bond the cells to canvas. Ten odd years ago a company was bonding them to canvas and selling them for a reasonable price. The company didn't sell many of them at the time. This was before "overlanding" was popular. They went out of business and this is what we have left.
Years ago was when I saw the canvas mounted panels and really wanted one for the durability and easy deployment. Lay it on a windshield or tie it on an awning.
As you can see, the remaining ones are priced way too high. I now have a folding 180 watt as my portable backup and it cost less then 10% of the off grid one I posted.
 
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