If the grid goes down, having a mobile and renewable power source can keep you in the 21st century while everyone else is reverting to the 18th. Electronics are usually not an absolute necessity for survival, but they sure do make it easier. Even something as simple as a fully-charged flashlight or handheld radio can make a huge difference in an emergency.

Solar power is an excellent source of electricity for everything from casual camping to long-term survival scenarios. Solar panels passively soak up sunlight to produce a charge, and pairing them with a battery improves versatility by allowing you to recharge your devices at any time.

Renogy recently announced the all-new Phoenix, a device which combines solar panels and a battery into a convenient briefcase-style unit. The lid of the Renogy Phoenix opens to reveal two efficient 10-watt solar panels, and offers expansion ports for up to 120 watts. The device can also be charged via an AC wall charger or a 12V car charger.

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The Renogy Phoenix contains a replaceable 16,000 mAh (milliamp-hour) lithium-ion battery. This provides enough capacity to fully recharge a laptop up to 5 times, or an iPhone 6S up to 32 times. Outputs include a 110V AC wall-style outlet, a 12V cigarette lighter output, two 12V DC ports, and four 6A USB ports. There's also a built-in multi-mode 3W LED light.

The new Renogy Phoenix solar generator is currently available for $589. For more information, visit Renogy.com.

Written by Patrick McCarthy