Solar energy works in portable panels the very same way, it does for traditional panels being used for residential or commercial use. Portable panels consist of photovoltaic cells that receive energy from sunlight and convert it to electric energy depending on efficiency, capacity, and exposure to sunlight. They are just smaller in size as lower energy capacity is needed to keep your necessary devices live during backpacking. They are also usually foldable and compact to make them easy to carry, easy to use product. Portable solar panels are also made using advanced technology to keep them light weight with maximum possible efficiency.