Solar Panels

Portable solar panel options come in a bunch of shapes and sizes, so naturally a few questions might occur. Today we are helping you choose the best portable solar panels from two of the most recognised brands on Canada's market - EcoFlow and ROCKSOLAR.

Portable Solar Panel Reviews: What Benefits Do They Bring?

Better for the Environment

Using solar power directly reduces greenhouse gasses emissions and our reliance on fossil fuels. Utilizing solar energy is eco-friendly and silent, making it ideal for urban areas or remote areas.

Reduce Your Bills

As cost of living continues to rise this year, many citizens are looking for ways to reduce their power bills. Generating your own power using a solar panel kit can help cut your energy bill noticeably.

All-time Solar Energy Availability

With a portable solar panel, you are free to accumulate electricity wherever you go, as long as there's sunlight.

Enhancing Your Home Power Security

Having a solar backup power source at home means that you’re already prepared if any inconvenience occurs. With blackouts on the rise due to energy crisis and climate spikes, solar panels offer a great sense of background security.

Low Maintenance

One of the convenient things about solar panels is that they need very little service. Most of the time, panels are installed at an angle and get a regular clean anytime it rains.

Become Free from the Grid

You can generate your own power and store energy for later using portable power stations to power you both at home and during open-air outings.

Types of Portable Solar Panels

Monocrystalline Solar Panels

Having a more complex manufacturing process, they’re more efficient than their polycrystalline counterparts. That makes them a better choice for portability with a slightly higher, matching price tag. Monocrystalline panels could be monofacial (one panel on one face) or bifacial solar panels with panels on both sides to also ulitize the ambient light.

Polycrystalline Solar Panels

Designed to be rigid, with a blue marbled appearance, polycrystalline models usually have lower efficiency and are often used as rooftop or portable RV solar panels due to their cheaper price. They can still be used as portables, but have some trade-offs as they’re usually hefty compared to monocrystalline.

Rigid Solar Panels vs. Foldable Solar Panels

Rigid panel is a stiff boards perfect to be mounted on a rooftop, RV/motorhome, or van. They are sometimes used for camping too. A foldable solar panel, on the contrary, is quite compact and manageable due to its design - and thus, is chosen more often for outdoors activities.

What to Look for in Portable Solar Panel Kits

General Capacity

Before pairing your solar panel with your solar generator, you need to consider the battery capacity. A larger battery will be a match for a larger solar panel, or even multiple solar panels connected together. However, if your power station is of smaller capacity to charge, you can manage with a much smaller panel.

Compatibility With a Portable Power Station

You should always check if your power station supports a high solar input, has a solar charging port, and supports a wide voltage range. Unfortunately, some models of power stations in the market still lack sufficient solar input and voltage ranges.

Solar Panels FAQ

How Long Do Solar Panels Last?

On average, solar panel output drops by less than one percent each year, meaning that by year 25, the majority of solar panels will still be generating 80% of their original energy output or even more.

Do Solar Panels Work When It's Cloudy?

Solar panel efficiency depends on the amount of cloud coverage. Anything that blocks sunlight from a portable solar panel can reduce its power generation - for example, clouds, fog and shade from trees. But still, solar panels can work on cloudy and rainy days, though not at their peak performance.