small scale!

[inetdog]

Hello everyone, I am currently working on mass producing design driven solar chargers in the middle east and north africa region. I have everything complete except the solar panels. I need 12V 5W solar panels. The only ones sold in my country (Egypt) are around 20cm and I'm looking for something much more portable. I've been searching for global companies to import from but they all work on large scale infrastructure project.

Me and my partner on the project have been working so hard and we're currently at a phase where we aren't working because we're waiting for the panel to be able to test our prototype. We really want to make progress.

Can anyone recommend me any companies that manufacture small scale solar panels for charging electronic devices. I'm certain that there has to be atleast one company out there that caters to this market.

Thank you!

You are up against a fundamental physical problem:

1. The total insolation (incoming solar energy) at noon at sea level with the panel aimed directly at the sun is about 1000w/m². A small solar panel of the type you are likely to find will be at best 15% efficient in turning solar energy into electrical energy. So a 1m x 1m panel will produce 150 watts at best.

2. A 20cm x 20cm panel will be 1/25th of the that size.

3. 1/25th of 150 is 6 watts.

4. How much smaller can you go and still get 5 watts out of your panel?

As I see it, you have two different roads you can explore:
A: What is the lowest power output that you can possibly make do with, either by exposing the panel for a longer time or having less total energy to use?
B: Look at a folding panel array or a roll-up flexible panel to make it more transportable. Both of these have practical disadvantages, will cost more and will be less durable.

A less practical alternative, but maybe worth looking at would be to provide a folding reflector array to concentrate more sunlight on a smaller panel. The main problems with this are keeping it aimed and getting the reflected light to hit the panel head on too.

[oka92]

Hello everyone, I am currently working on mass producing design driven solar chargers in the middle east and north africa region. I have everything complete except the solar panels. I need 12V 5W solar panels. The only ones sold in my country (Egypt) are around 20cm and I'm looking for something much more portable. I've been searching for global companies to import from but they all work on large scale infrastructure project.

Me and my partner on the project have been working so hard and we're currently at a phase where we aren't working because we're waiting for the panel to be able to test our prototype. We really want to make progress.

Can anyone recommend me any companies that manufacture small scale solar panels for charging electronic devices. I'm certain that there has to be atleast one company out there that caters to this market.

Thank you!