ENERGY

Solar Power: Recent advances in solar power technology have made a whole new source of energy available for emergency and survival scenarios. Portable solar power units are now available in a wide range of outputs and configurations. With so many to choose from, the challenge is figuring out which units are best suited for your needs and budget.

First, a brief primer on solar power units. The photovoltaic (PV) cells that make up solar panels produce DC current that first charges a battery and then can be converted by means of a DC/AC inverter into the AC current used by virtually all electrically-powered devices. All solar power sources operate on this basic model. Almost all small and medium size chargers supply DC power directly to the internal rechargeable battery in the device being charged. This is the technology typically used to charge cell phones, sat phones and digital cameras, a convenience breakthrough that's proved to be a real bonus for travelers in remote places. With their portability and ease of use, these chargers certainly have their place in emergency and survival settings. The best models of this group include the small, sleek Solio Universal Hybrid Charger and Brunton's rugged SolarRolls and Solaris foldable panels. Although these are excellent traveling and camping products, their power is only available when the sun is shining. In addition, only the larger panels of this type have the output to move beyond powering small hand-held devices.

I feel the best strategy is to go one step further and get a portable solar power unit that combines a respectable output with its own rechargeable battery that can run all types of devices -- laptops, small power tools, portable stereos and even small TV's -- around the clock, day or night. The addition of a battery makes them more expensive and heavy, but it's money well-spent. Here are a few of my favorites in the solar power world.

Portable Solar Power Packs:

RadioLabs Portable Power Packs combine high performance solar panels in padded foldable mounts and 12-volt battery power packs in ballistic nylon carrying cases. The solar panels come in four sizes -- 10, 15, 20 and 30 watts -- that can be connected to either an 8 or 16 amp battery. The larger the panel the faster the charge rate and a bigger battery means more available stored power. Battery output is delivered via a "cigarette lighter" type plug which can be easily adapted to accept a variety of jack and plug connections. The flexible solar panels have corner grommets for attachment to a backpack so you can charge on the go. Because I'm so impressed with the quality of this line, I've ended up with several overlapping components, but if you're a first time buyer go for the highest capacity panel and battery combination you can afford. Another great company, CT Solar, sells similar portable solar power components that are interchangeable with RadioLabs gear.

Advanced Energy Group Solar-PowerPAC is another excellent product that offers portable back-up power in a fully integrated unit built around a modified Xantrex power pack with a 21 amp 12-volt battery. There are three sizes of solar panels to choose from -- 10, 20, or 30 watts and all come with a simple wire kit for connection to the power pack. The handiest features are the easy-to-use 115-volt AC outlets (just like the receptacles on your walls at home), an air compressor, an integrated utility light and jump-start cable ports. Like the Radiolabs' unit, the Solar-PowerPAC can also be recharged by conventional power sources and used as a day-to-day portable energy source. Solid performance -- Xantrex units are considered to be the best around -- has made the PowerPAC popular with a broad range of customers, from the FBI and NASA to missionaries and recreational campers.

Of the two, the RadioLabs Packs are lighter and more compact (they are designed to be carried in a backpack), while AEG's Solar-PowerPAC has a modest edge in power and ease of operation. If you're at all squeamish about wires and minor electrical challenges go with the Solar-PowerPAC; if you want the ability to carry power on your back just about anywhere, try RadioLabs' Portable Power system.

Other Handy Solar Power Devices

Solar Battery Chargers: Always keep a stock of rechargeable NiMH batteries on hand. To simplify things I make sure that I only have devices that run on D, AA, and 9-volt batteries, a range that covers most conventional devices. There are a number of simple solar power chargers for these types of batteries - basically a slotted box with solar panels on top. If these batteries seem redundant with the power sources described above, they are! That's the point. Besides, I have a lingering suspicion that if things go south, all those specialized rechargeable lithium-ion batteries in our cell phones and computers will be hard to find. In addition, one of the dark secrets of the Li-ion batteries is that they start to irreversibly degrade from their manufacturing date, even without being used!

Once you have the solar power to charge batteries, you can think about picking up a couple of lanterns from Coleman's newer line of battery-powered lanterns that use high efficiency fluorescent or LED bulbs. Depending on the battery array, you can now get hours of bright light from "D" cells. Use them at night, recharge them by day.

Solar Lanterns: The latest generation solar lanterns -- I recommend the Solar Navigator SL-9000 series -- generate enough light to illuminate a decent-sized room with an energy-saving 9 watt fluorescent bulb. This model includes a built-in solar panel and 6-volt rechargeable battery. Don't confuse these with all those underpowered, mostly decorative, outdoor solar lights. Use the Navigator type lanterns as long as you have a continuous run of sunny days to recharge them. If the clouds roll in for awhile, switch back to hand-crank or conventional emergency lighting.

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