Ecosphere Technologies says it has completed the world’s largest deployable solar generator, called the Ecos PowerCube. Designed to meet growing demand for off-grid energy and telecommunications, an array of stacked solar panels folds out of a shipping container, providing energy and shelter.
With power generation capabilities up to 15 kW, the Ecos PowerCube comes in a variety of sizes, fitting in 10′, 20′ and 40′ standard ISO shipping container footprints. It can be used to power various onboard systems, including wireless telecommunications, solar-powered Internet and mobile water treatment systems.
Other systems like the Ecos PowerCube have come into the market the last few years, as solar efficiencies have increased and costs have decreased. The use of shipping containers for mobile businesses, disaster-relief hubs and even urban gardens has come into vogue, as well.
Read more about the generator here, and check out the illustrations and photos below:
The PowerCube, which is housed in shipping containers, could be flown into disaster areas by helicopter, as illustrated here.
It could also be used in humanitarian situations, as illustrated here, providing water filtration or power for Internet communications.
The military has increasingly turned to solar. This illustration shows how the armed forces could use the PowerCube.
The PowerCube with solar panels extended from their housing.
Areas within the shipping container could have spaces for working. Larger versions of the PowerCube could include seating.