mobile solar container stores photovoltaic panels that fold and unfold like an accordion

mobile solar container with foldable photovoltaic panels

The Austrian energy company SolarCont has developed a mobile solar container that stores foldable photovoltaic panels for portable green energy anywhere. The foldable photovoltaic panels are tucked inside a container frame with corresponding dimensions, and once they are moved and set in place, they can be easily unfolded using the rail system that also unrolls from the container.

Once the user pulls out the foldable photovoltaic panels from the mobile solar container, powering up equipment and properties with green energy follows suit, and this can be done almost anywhere as long as the land is big enough to accommodate the series of panels.

video stills courtesy of SolarCont

Solarcontainer unfolds up to 120 meters in length

Dubbed Solarcontainer, SolarCont has devised a photovoltaic power plant developed as a mobile power generator with collapsible photovoltaic modules. The unfolded panels can reach up to 120 meters in length, and there are 240 solar panels that can be installed. The Solarcontainer is a mobile system that can be used for both on- and off-grid purposes, including rescue missions and gatherings.

the foldable photovoltaic panels are tucked inside a mobile solar container

The mobile solar container can take up to five hours to assemble and make it operational. Its base is made up of a solid floor frame, and mounted on this frame is the photovoltaic panels’ rail system and the folding mechanism. This setup enables easy transport of the mobile solar container via cargo ship vessels, trains, and trucks too, given that the rail system can be stashed until it fits the container’s frame.

the unfolded panels can reach up to 120 meters in length, and around 240 solar panels can be installed

Solarcont adds an automatic conveyor system

The foldable photovoltaic panels lay flat on the floor or surface once they are unrolled from the mobile solar container. SolarCont states that at least three or four people, excluding the crane operator, may be needed to set up the Solarcontainer into operation within one day. The Solarcontainer can also be lifted or shifted without a foundation, but if the user faces harsh wind conditions, ballast stones can be placed on the rail system if needed. For the folding and unfolding of the photovoltaic panels, the module works electrically using an automatic conveyor system, activated with a click of a button.

the Solarcontainer is a mobile system that can be used for both on- and off-grid purposes

As of publishing this story, SolarCont mentions that the mobile solar container and its foldable photovoltaic panels can supply around 32 households with its green energy. This estimation is based on the team’s assessment of the average power consumption of a four-person household of 4,000 kWh per year and a location in Southern Germany. ‘At a location in Southern Europe, it can even supply up to 50 households due to the high solar radiation,’ adds SolarCont, whose inbox is open for inquiries.

the mobile solar container can take up to five hours to assemble and make it operational