Some home purchases are hard to talk your loved ones into, like a room-sized ball pit or a domesticated lynx. But others are just practical, obvious, and an excellent long-term investment. Portable solar panels are one of those easy choices for a good home or family purchase.

Portable solar panels are smaller, more manageable versions of the solar panels on your roof. They can be hooked up to a converter, powering a battery pack, or a solar generator. They’re generally relatively small and lightweight and can be stored in vehicles, closets, and basements for emergencies. 

They’re a fraction of the price of roof panels yet capture the same natural, readily available power from the sun. The best portable solar panels are easy to set up and have many uses. So what reasons can you give yourself or skeptical housemates why portable solar panels are an excellent investment? Here are five reasons why portable solar panels are right for you.

Energy Independence

One of the best reasons to go with a portable solar panel is that it gives you a degree of independence from the grid. In many parts of our country, the grid is aging, failing, and may not be able to support maximum power usage for much longer. In other parts of the country, the population has risen faster than the electric infrastructure can keep up. 

Having portable solar panels can help alleviate some of this burden and give you independence from an aging and sometimes unreliable system. You can run individual small appliances, plug-in lights, and radio equipment from a solar generator, to say nothing of charging one’s phones or using a hot plate for breakfast. So, it can save you money and reduce your overall energy costs. You won’t be able to run a fridge on a small generator, but you can run some lights, charge cell phones and tablets, charge a laptop, and run essential kitchen appliances. 

The fewer items you have hooked up to grid power, the more money you can save, and the less tax there’ll be on outside power sources. This can be especially helpful as an energy-saving initiative overall, and some states may even offer rebates or tax breaks for the purchase of solar panels, even small ones. 

Help Reduce Fumes

Relying on solar as opposed to electricity or gasoline-powered energy sources will help reduce fumes and pollutants. Gasoline-powered energy sources are handy, but they give off noxious fumes, which can cause lung problems and even put a family’s life in danger when misused, or if not well ventilated. 

Solar power, however, is clean, fume-free, and can be used with any sized home. Portable solar panels are more accessible to carry than heavy canisters of gasoline, and there’s no mess of refueling. The other thing powering your portable mini system will be sunshine. No need for you to open windows, worry about explosions or feel anxious about transporting flammable liquids. You’ll only need a portable solar panel, a converter, and a way to store and use the energy. That’s it! You’ll need sunlight, too, but that’s a readily available and safe natural energy source. 

Best of all, you won’t have to purchase expensive fuel for your generator separately. As gas prices remain on the high side, this extra expense is something to consider. 

Helpful in an Emergency

The inevitable emergency is one of the best reasons to have a portable solar panel. Extreme weather is becoming more of a global norm, and the worse the weather gets, the greater your chances of experiencing a power outage. Without power, your ability to communicate, preserve food, cook, or stay warm disappears. Unless you have a fireplace and a wood-burning metal stove, your chances of fairing well in a power outage are poor. 

But a portable solar panel can help solve some of these problems. You can get power quickly and safely in an emergency, stay connected, keep an electric blanket powered, use a hot plate, and tune in to local transmissions for safety updates. This can be a massive life-saver in situations where going out to get gasoline for a gas-powered generator may be unsafe or impossible due to downed trees or an unsafe situation in your neighborhood. 

The longer people go without power, the more testy or desperate they can become. You may be safer if you can stay on your property and not risk venturing outside too much. Portable solar panels can keep you close to home and keep some lights on, too. A home that appears to be inhabited is less likely to be looted, and keeping some lights running is an intelligent way to signal “we’re here, don’t bother messing with us.” 

Great for Vacations

Apart from emergencies, portable solar panels are great for less stressful events, like backpacking, hiking, RV adventures, and camping. They’re easy to take along in an SUV or camper and can be set up for simple access to off-grid power. 

Use them on a family vacation, when renting a cabin, on the road, or needing extra power while driving cross-country. Set up your portable solar panels for some extra, free juice to power small items and kitchen appliances, and keep your cell phone fully charged. Use it to power a weather radio or power the items needed to make breakfast. 

RVs use fuel from your gas tank to power appliances and run hot water tanks. A portable solar panel can help alleviate some of this mobile dependence on gas and help you save fuel on the road. It can allow your family to relax on the road and stay connected without having to waste fuel or pollute your local environment. 

Easy to Use

The most straightforward reason to get portable solar panels is that they are easy to set up and use. Simply point your solar panels at the sun and get free power. 

Your portable solar panels can power various items simply and effectively, most of which can be set up in a day with minimal help. They’re easy to transport and can be used at home, on the road, or wherever you need extra power. They’re lightweight and can be tossed in the car along with a small converter and solar generator in an emergency. Needing to evacuate? Your portable solar panels can go with you! You’ll be on the road and able to stay powered up, even in unforeseen emergencies. 

Whatever reason seems best to you now that your portable solar panels will be an excellent investment for years to come and will serve you well in uncertain scenarios. They’re worth it and can save your family time, safety, money, and worry. 

About the author: 

Trevor James is the owner of Solar Paradise, a one-stop shop for Solar kits, portable power stations, portable solar panels, solar generators, solar charge controllers, inverters, solar air conditioners & portable solar fridge freezers. Trevor built Solar Paradise to sell solar kits all over the USA. You can shop for the best solar kits at Solar Paradise.