Secret Weapon #3 - Powering Electrical Devices

Thin filmed solar panel (left hand side)
charging phone whilst on the go...

Fact 1: Around the poles - there is no sun in the winter months. As spring dawns there is a continual sunrise and then in summer there is 24 hours sunlight.

Fact 2: In the Arctic, most expeditions are started in late winter/early spring.

Fact 3: In the Antarctic, most expeditions are started in summer.

Fact 4: As well as silicon panels, there are now many more new technologies to harvest the sun more efficiently. See the article on Solar Singapore in the Green Room.

With remote adventures, we need to find ways to be self sufficient. This includes powering our electrical devices. In the Antarctic, the solar panel will be extremely handy.

It was a cloudy grey day when we tested the solar panel. We were impressed that it worked and managed to charge up a mobile phone. We have yet to purchase a small laptop to test its claim to powering a small laptop...we're hoping some kind company would like us to try one out!

Our Solar Panel Stats (as read from the piece of paper that came with the panel)

Weight: 0.4kg
Size: Opens to 762 mm x 775mm; folds to 165mm x 267mm
Thickness: 1.5mm
Operating voltage: 15.4
Operating current: 1.2
Watts: 20
Cost: USD $ 439