Camping Trade World_Issue 15

Dispatches
ORIGAMI-INSPIRED SOLAR PANELS
TAKE TO KICKSTARTER
■
Milan-based start-up is set to
A
launch a Kickstarter campaign to
raise funds to help it release the
world’s first origami-inspired solar
panels for off-grid power. Levante
was founded in 2021 and aims to revolutionise the
fixed design of solar panels to make them lighter
and easier to transport – helping campers and
sailors in the process.
“Although the use of renewable energy in mobility
is already widespread, the current solar panel
solutions still have too many limitations,” said
Levante co-founder Sara Plaga. “Rigid solar panels,
whilst powerful, are bulky, heavy and constrained
to a permanent installation. This greatly reduces
the number of applications where a rigid panel is a
suitable solution, especially in a mobile context.”
“Portable solar panels, on the other hand, are too
flimsy, still bulky and just not powerful enough to
make a meaningful contribution to covering the
energy requirements needed when travelling.”
“To overcome these problems, many are forced
to use alternative solutions to meet their energy
needs: connecting to the grid, starting the engine or
using a generator – all of which are limiting, create
both noise and air pollution, and require additional
fuel costs.”
Inspired by those used in satellites as well as
the modular design of Lego bricks, the patented,
revolutionary solar panels from Levante are
compact and collapsible (more than eight times
smaller when closed) – and 100% made in Italy.
Each panel can be opened up into a rigid structure
offering up to 500 watts of power – currently the
highest on the market – and be folded away when
the batteries are fully charged or when on the move.
10 www.campingtradeworld.com