Complete guide to choosing and using a portable solar kit (portable solar panels, external batteries and power stations)

Energy mobility is becoming essential, whether for vanlife enthusiasts, campers, nomadic professionals, or simply households looking to prepare for power outages. In this guide, we introduce you to the various portable solar energy solutions: foldable solar panels, solar power banks, and portable power stations. You'll find practical advice, performance estimates, and usage ideas.

This guide is designed for visitors to our site who want to adopt sustainable energy autonomy with ease. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced user, here you'll find everything you need to make the right choices.

Portable solar panels: operation, power and uses

Portable solar panels are lightweight, foldable, and portable modules, ideal for capturing solar energy while you're out and about. They come in several power ratings:

• Current powers and average prices in France (2025)

Power	Average price (€)	Typical use
60W	100–140 €	Smartphone, tablet, USB lamp
100W	150–220 €	Power bank, small laptop
120W	180–250 €	300 Wh station, drone, 12V fridge
200W	250–400 €	500+ Wh station, motorhome, TV

 

• What you can do with a 60W or 100W panel

Device	60W panel	100W panel
Smartphone	✅ (1–2 at the same time)	✅✅ (up to 3)
Power bank 30,000 mAh	✅ (4–8h)	✅✅ (2–4h)
USB-C PD Computer	⚠️ slow	✅ fast
Drone	⚠️ slow charging	✅ usable in the field
12V mini fridge	❌ insufficient	⚠️ via station

Tip: For optimal performance, face the panel south (if in Europe), tilt at 30°-45°, clean the surface and use short, good quality cables.

 

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Solar Power Banks: Compact Solutions for Hiking

Solar power banks combine a lithium-ion battery with a small solar panel (often between 1 and 5W). They are useful for emergency use, but their solar charging is very slow .

Example: 16,000 mAh solar battery

Capacity: ≈60 Wh

Built-in panel: 1–5 W (often 2 W)

100% charge time in the sun : 3 to 5 full days

Tip: Use them primarily with a USB-C input (fast mains charging), the panel is only used as a backup.

 

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⚡️ Portable power stations: what capacity for what need?

Power stations (or "solar generators") are larger capacity batteries with USB, USB-C, AC 230V, cigarette lighter, etc. outputs. They can be recharged by a portable solar panel.

Popular models around 256 Wh (France price)

Model	Ability	Solar entrance	Exits	Charging time	Price
EcoFlow RIVER 2	256 Wh	110W MPPT	USB-A/C, AC	≈1h	209–229 €
Jackery Explorer 240	240 Wh	65W DC	USB-A, AC	5–6 hours	250–300 €
Bluetti EB3A	268 Wh	200W MPPT	USB-A/C, AC	1–1.5 hours	299–349 €

Tip: Use a station with MPPT (smart solar regulator) to optimize solar charging.

 

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How to properly use a portable solar kit (panel + battery/station)?

Direct charging of a phone via 60W solar panel : ≈1.5–2h (in full sunlight, 2.4A USB port)

Charging a 256 Wh station with a 100W panel : ≈2.5–4 hours in full sunlight

Storage in a power bank : allows charging even at night or in cloudy weather

Use when camping or emergency : lighting, telephone, internet box, mini-TV, etc.

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Which solar kit should you choose depending on your usage?

Need	Recommended solution
Hiking, phone, lamp	10–20,000 mAh solar battery + 20W panel
Camping, nomadic work	100W panel + 256 Wh station
2–3 days battery life	120–200W panel + 500 Wh station
Power outage preparation	200W panel + 1,000 Wh station

 

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Do you want to equip yourself?

We offer a selection of solar kits to suit every need in our online store. Browse our catalog or contact us for personalized assistance.

Discover our selection of ready-to-use solar kits

Discover our ready-to-use kits here

If you have any questions or would like personalized advice, please leave a comment below or use our contact form. We will get back to you shortly!

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Portable solar energy is more accessible than ever—and every ray of sunshine can become a source of autonomy!