Flexible Solar Panels

Flexible solar panels are produced very quickly and this helps to lower their cost. They are produced by printing the solar energy gathering coating on a flexible plastic substrate. This allows for unique uses where conventional solar panels would not work.

Even though their efficiencies are lower than traditional solar panels, they can produce power at a fraction of the cost.

Current models of these flexible solar panels are providing an 11% efficiency and doing this at about 10% of the cost of conventional solar panels.

Even when they are assembled into a complete solar panel frame, they are still much less expensive than traditional panels.

This lower price puts them at about a dollar a watt, which is the point where solar power becomes less expensive than coal.

The applications for these flexible solar panels are almost endless and there are quite a few companies that offer products that take advantage of this solution.

The most common use of these panels is in some type of portable solar charger for use on field trips or in remote areas when power is needed.

These portable solar power chargers are available from a variety of companies in many different configurations.

They are typically rolled out or unfolded to expose the panels to sunlight. When you are done using them you can simply fold them back up and pack them away until needed again.

There have also been some interesting commercial uses for these flexible solar panels released that are starting to gain a following.

Both solar siding and solar roof shingles for homes have been produced that use these panels and provide a homeowner an alternative to traditional solar panels for their home.

These flexible solar panels integrate tighter with the home when used in this fashion and are also much less noticeable as well.

These flexible solar panels have also been sewn into clothing and incorporated into backpack designs to provide the ability to charge a cell phone while using these products.