Brunton makes a good range of flexible solar cells that use CIGS (Copper Indium Gallium diSelenide) instead of the usual silicon. The Brunton Solaris 26 is a flexible solar charger that generates 26 watts but measures only 21.5” by 37.5″ and folds down to 11″ by 8.5” by 1”.

Solaris chargers can charge a laptop or digital video camera. They can power a satellite or cell phone. It takes between 1 and 2 hours to charge a small device using the solar cells. It takes between 4 and 8 hours to fully charge a laptop computer. Brunton’s chargers operate well in low-light conditions such as overcast days. A reviewer says:

This is a very useful product. I’ve used it to power essentially any low-draw 12V equipment that I normally charge via my car’s cigarette lighter. I live in Georgia (not a tremendously strong solar area) yet I was able to run anything I wanted to with moderate cloud cover.

The Solaris 26 is available from Amazon for around $425.

Brunton also offers the Solaris 6 which produces 6 watts, and the Solaris 52, which (you guessed it) produces 52 watts.

A useful addition to a solar charger is a portable power station. A power station will store energy generated by the solar cells, so it can be used when needed (like at night). Brunton offers the Solo series of lightweight power stations. These units can be recharged by plugging them into a USB port, household outlet, vehicle DC outlet (cigarette lighter socket) or by using Brunton’s solar panels.

Brunton’s lightest power station is the Solo 3.4, which weighs just 12 ounces. It has a 3.4 Amp/H lithium-ion battery inside, and it can be used to charge a variety of small electronics. It comes with adaptors for iPod, mini USB Motorola, Nokia, Sony Ericson cell phones, and Playstation PSP.

It’s available from Amazon for around $38.

In November 2008, Brunton will be releasing the Solar 7.5 and Solar 15, which will have larger power storage capacities

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