Powerfilm is a very expensive, very thin solar panel that I bought because it said it had good low-light capability. It isn’t good enough for what I want to use it for, but others say it helped them with overcast/cloudy skies. It works great with direct sunlight, but I have higher-capacity panels so it isn’t the right primary panel for me. I think the best use for it is in your emergency bag and that is where it is with me.
The size is amazing and you can’t beat it. It is light too. Those are the advantages. The disadvantages are more, however. First I already mentioned the high price. For most people, it will be out of reach. I could only afford a low-capacity one which wasn’t enough for my needs. Second, the efficiency is lower than other panels. It can’t compete with larger arrays and newer technology. So it’s kind of a frozen-in-time product, which limits its usefulness to me. Finally, the purpose of an emergency pack is to be able to grab all of your essentials and go. It will provide great emergency power for a smartphone/laptop which in a true emergency is all that I need.
Am I sorry I bought it? No. I wanted to try out different panels and I did. Now I know for sure what works for me. I am not upset at the 60 or 120 panels I bought either. I gave the 60W to a friend, and I use the 120 panels every day currently. I am currently testing a 95W panel and will write an update once I have some more experience with it.
Why buy all of these different panels? For two reasons. One I am curious. I want to understand in real life how different technologies work. Second, I plan on buying more solar generators in the future. I think I have the next solar generator I want, I just need to do a little more research before I buy it. So I have enough sun to charge multiple units, so I can use multiple units. I don’t think buying all of these panels is a waste at all. It is exciting to be able to understand the technology differences so that I can make the most efficient and useful decisions for solar in the future. Whatever I don’t use goes to my friends, and people are always glad to receive free stuff.
The portable folding panels are just amazing. I love them, and I think they are my future. Since I live in an apartment, being able to hang one out the window and collect solar is just wonderful. Then I save that money and use it for my personal needs.
Powerfilm is probably best for outdoors people who need lightness, or if you are a prepper and want the absolute smallest thing that you can carry. It is amazing technology, but I don’t plan on buying another one.