Solar awning?

[SeaDawg]

Years ago, our friend Chuck talked about his plans to (maybe) make window awnings from solar panels.

This company is planning to go bigger, and better. A flexible solar awning that can supply 1200 watts when deployed....

Novel idea. Create shade, and use the sun to create power. Wonder how well it will hold up? 

https://www.rvnews.com/xponent-power-partners-to-produce-solar-awning/

[Frank C]

Very interesting.  Imagine two of those (curbside and street side), ~2,400 watts with two (under ideal conditions), but that would power a LOT of appliances & accessories.   No charging while driving though since the awnings would be retracted, but still a very cool product.  Hope it succeeds.  

 

[Steph and Dud B]

I've seen this before. Not like a real awning when deployed. More like a pergola because of the gaps between the panel sections. So, it wouldn't keep rain off of you and would provide only partial shade. Of course, with all that power, you could run the A/C...

[Katjo]

What a cool and useful idea! Would love to see this come to fruition. 

[mossemi]

This is a little different approach to adding additional solar panels.

Mossey

[Steve Morris]

Roll-up solar panels work great on the Webb space telescope, so should work on an awning. 😁

Funny that Mossey showed the sliding solar extensions, as I was already going to see if something like that would work on ours. A fellow Hiker trailer owner did something similar. Not extensions to existing panels, but hidden panels that slid out from under his roof top tent. They worked great!

[SeaDawg]

19 hours ago, Steph and Dud B said:

I've seen this before. Not like a real awning when deployed. More like a pergola because of the gaps between the panel sections. So, it wouldn't keep rain off of you and would provide only partial shade. Of course, with all that power, you could run the A/C...

I went to their website for better photos. As you said, more like a pergola.  Looks like thin, slender panels that somehow stack up when not deployed.

https://xponentpower.com/

Watching the two videos on their site explained a bit. Especially the comparison video of a standard awning, and theirs, in windy conditions.  The "pergola " design offers a lot more time to use in somewhat windy conditions.

[RoadKingsofGA]

On 4/2/2023 at 10:44 PM, Steve Morris said:

Roll-up solar panels work great on the Webb space telescope, so should work on an awning. 😁

Funny that Mossey showed the sliding solar extensions, as I was already going to see if something like that would work on ours. A fellow Hiker trailer owner did something similar. Not extensions to existing panels, but hidden panels that slid out from under his roof top tent. They worked great!

I follow Escape pages and I like mods done by Johnny Hung.  He made a few with solar panels that slide out from back and both sides.  Not only do they provide more solar power, but they act as exterior shades over the windows.