The technology used by flexible solar encasements (and other PV panels) is called the photovoltaic effect. When the sun shines on a flexible solar panel, it transmits electromagnetic radiation (photons) directly to the PV cells located in the panel.
Easy installation: Flexible panels are easy to install. Because they are lightweight and moldable, they can be installed on different surfaces without needing heavy-duty mounting brackets. Flexible solar panels typically do not require drilling, and they can be installed on your own using industrial adhesives or VHB tape.
Flexible solar panels work similarly to traditional rigid panels, more so than portable and thin-film panels. Like rigid panels, flexible solar encasements use either monocrystalline or polycrystalline silicon cells to absorb the sun’s energy and generate electricity.
The easiest way to create an air gap is to install your panels to spacers instead of directly to a vehicle surface. There are many situations where flexible solar panels can be highly beneficial. Flexible panels help maximize available surface area to generate as much electricity as possible.
Flexible solar panels are so lightweight that you can even strap them onto your backpack on long trekking expeditions. You can generate electricity and store it in a portable power station like EcoFlow RIVER 2 to charge your smartphone or laptop and recharge electric lanterns for nighttime use.
Rigid encasements require more space in flat, wide-open spaces like the roof of a house, whereas a flexible product can bend and shape to be installed on curved surfaces like the overhang of an RV or the awning of a pop-up camper. Aside from these factors, flexible solar panels tend to be less expensive overall.