If you’ve ever been camping and your neighbour started up a great big angry generator, then you know how unpleasant it can be for both campers trying to enjoy their night and the one who started the generator. It’s the kind of situation that threatens the no.1 reason we all go camping – to stay away from the noisy cities and enjoy nature.
The good news is solar energy is becoming more popular and affordable and generators are a thing of the past. The methods and devices used to capture free, renewable energy from the sun are becoming more commonplace for campers and caravanners in Australia. You may be one of the many who love the idea of going back to nature while camping, but the truth is that in our modern lifestyles, we enjoy using, and rely on, electrically-powered devices. Taking them with you on your camping trips means opting for a camping pitch with an electric hook-up, or looking for other power sources, which can be costly and time-consuming, so you may consider alternatives such as solar power generation.
It is the most common renewable energy source used by campers, and it has one important requirement, which is an energy capture system or device, such as a solar panel. When it comes to solar panels for camping, there are two options to choose from – portable and fixed, so you can customise the size and mobility of your solar system to fit your needs.
Both types of solar panels have their benefits and considerations. Portable panels are smaller in size and create less energy, so if you want to make the most of your experience, you can
buy fixed solar panels for camping. They’re mounted panels on a roof, ground mount, or tracker system and generate electricity by capturing energy from the sun, which is turned into usable energy with the help of inverters. Installing fixed panels may initially cost more, but it will produce more energy. It pays off in the long run, though, as they last longer than portable panels; don’t require storage space solutions and you don’t have to consider setting them up at each stop.