Charles 
Updated June 20, 2026. TL;DR: For limited roof space choose high-efficiency monocrystalline modules; for occasional boondocking use portable/foldable panels; for curved or low-profile roofs use flexible panels. Size panels to match daily Wh needs and prefer MPPT charge controllers with a proper BMS and LiFePO4 battery if you plan deep cycling. Why caravan solar systems … Read more
Introduction A caravan solar kit (also called an RV solar kit) supplies DC charging to a habitation or “house” battery so you can run lights, pumps, fridges and small electronics away from mains power. This guide explains what a kit contains, how to size panels and batteries from real energy needs, roof vs portable options, … Read more
Why caravan/RV solar matters — and what “best” really means Solar lets you recharge batteries quietly at campsites, reduce generator use, and run lights, fridges, fans, CPAPs and devices off-grid. The “best” solar setup depends on your roof space, daily energy needs (watt‑hours per day), desired permanence (roof-mounted vs portable), and budget. This guide helps … Read more
Is solar worth fitting to my caravan? Short answer: usually yes for keeping a leisure battery topped up, extending time away from electric hook-up and maintaining batteries in storage — but solar is not a direct replacement for mains hook-up. Solar is best treated as part of a system that reduces reliance on EHU, helps … Read more
Solar has crossed an important threshold Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems—technology that converts sunlight directly into electricity—are no longer an emerging experiment. Global PV additions exceeded 600 GW in 2025, bringing cumulative worldwide PV capacity to about 2.8 TW (terawatts). In the United States, installed PV capacity reached roughly 209 GW by the end of 2025, … Read more
Nanosolar announces the shipping of their first solar panels. Martin Roscheisen, CEO of Nanosolar issued a press release on December 18th announcing the first shipment of the company’s innovative thin film solar panels Five years have elapsed from the start of Nanosolar to its first shipment. The innovative printing press manufacturing style pioneered by the … Read more
Besides having a big carbon footprint, power plants that burn fossil fuels such as coal, release a large amount of cancer causing pollutants into the year annually. This is why the environmental protection agency has decided to issue new guidelines regulating the amount and types of pollutants released into the air by fossil fuel burning … Read more
Nic and I have talked about living “off the grid” a couple of times. I don’t think we would ever be TOTALLY self sufficient, but I think it would be a way to save money and not rely on the government or private utilities. Don’t get the idea that we are anti government. I know … Read more
Start with the bill: understand kWh and your rate Before buying equipment, open your last 12 months of electric bills and compare both the monthly kWh used and the dollar amount. Utilities bill energy in kWh and may add fixed charges, delivery fees, taxes, time-of-use (TOU) pricing, or other components—so a high dollar bill can … Read more
The surprising truth in one sentence PV cells generally operate more efficiently at lower temperatures: when panels are cool they hold higher voltage and can convert a larger share of incoming sunlight into electricity (U.S. Department of Energy). That “colder is better” fact about PV cell physics, however, does not mean winter always gives you … Read more