Flexible solar cells for clothing

Integration of flexible solar cells into clothing can provide power for portable electronic devices. Photovoltaics is the most advanced way of providing electricity far from any mains supply, although it suffers from the limits of ambient light intensity. But the energy demand of portable devices is now low enough that clothing-integrated solar cells are able to power most mobile electronics. We introduce clothing-integrated photovoltaics, their scope and limitations, the status of flexible solar cells, charge controller and system design, as well as prototype solutions for various applications.