You may have already seen people making use of solar power on their camping trips. If you think it's because they are loaded with money and can afford it think again. With more and more people getting a solar power system and technology reducing the manufacturing costs, solar panels are cheaper than ever. So if you regularly go camping you should take another look at this renewable form of energy.

The main considerations of solar panels for camping are that they are portable, reliable and practical.

You wouldn't have a hard time believing that it's much more fun to travel in an RV when you have your own source of power with you. Some campers still find the whole system as extravagant and unnecessary. Of course, if you only go to sites where there is a power hookup then you don't need an alternative power source. A problem with this however, is that you usually need to book well in advance to get a hookup. You have more chance of getting a camp site if you don't have to worry about an electrical hookup because you have your own source of power. You can also explore quiet and remote places for a couple of days where others can't go because of their dependency on an electrical supply.

Before you go camping however, it's wise to calculate your exact electrical requirements and don't forget to add in a reserve for those cloudy days. If your solar source of power is going to be the solar system it's probably best to plan your trips in the sunnier months of the year.

Get enough solar panels to recharge your batteries in a reasonable amount of time. You'll be stuck without power for a while if you drain the batteries and the panels don't have enough grunt to recharge them quickly. Calculating your power requirements is essential to choosing your system. After you have worked out your daily power usage and have added some on for reserve you can then safely decide what sort of system will fulfill your needs.

Today, there are several solar power systems that are suitable to RVs. There are many price ranges to suit a wide variety of budgets. Try to limit the amount of electrical devices you take or get energy efficient versions of them. Limit yourself to things you can't possibly do without. You are trying to get away from it all after all.

Even if you’re camping without RVs, you can still make use of the solar power system. There are many lightweight and portable systems out there for solar power. There are flexible panels that can be carried to campsites which spread out on the ground of bonnet of your car like a mat. There are small ones capable of charging a mobile phone to ones that are powerful enough to charge or run a laptop. If you're a hiker you can get a pack with solar built in that provides enough power to charge a mobile phone, torch or iPod.

Solar power is no longer only suitable for homes and offices. It's possible to have an unlimited supply of energy wherever you happen to be. There is no doubt that camping is more enjoyable if you have a solar system with you. Gas guzzling generators can now be given the flick when you can get free power from the sun. More and more homes and campers will be discovering the benefits of solar power in the future.

For your next camping trip why don't you investigate solar power for yourself. Plan your outing carefully and make sure that you pick the right time of year as well. Being without power because you're camping in the rain is a recipe for disaster. Solar power is clean and renewable so you can stay out camping for as long as you like if you keep are careful eye on your power consumption.