In 2020/21, The Energy Group won ‘Bounce Forward’ funding, from the Heritage Lottery fund via the Transition Network, to design and build a trailer-mounted solar power generator for use in supporting community outdoor events such as Belper Goes Green.
This was a major ‘lockdown project’ for Tony Cooper and Richard Bett, who made maximum use of pre-existing components which were donated by Veggies Catering Campaign following the demise and dismantling of their ‘Genex’ solar power truck in 2020.
We called it ‘Solar Gennie‘ – 1 Kwp of panels with 2.5KW AC power and 3 KwH battery storage.
It’s shown above arriving at 2022 Belper Goes Green where it powered one of the sound stages.
Solar Gennie is available for hire in 2023 to community events which need off grid power and/or want the lowest possible carbon footprint. It’s designed to support a 1 or 2 day event. Contact info@transitionbelper.org for more information
Would you like to use the trailer for your event?
OK, what have we got?
- a twin axle trailer with a flat bed 2.3m X 1.3m
- mounted on the trailer, a wedge shaped welded aluminium spaceframe
- mounted on the spaceframe, 8 X 125 watt solar panels (nominally 1 kw max power). Two of the panels are fixed and the other 6 are foldable or removable for transport
- under the 2 fixed panels, an accessible space for the electrical control components and the battery pack.
- a large area on the trailer flatbed and below the panels for transporting and storing other equipment
How much of it is recycled?
If you’re interested in the electrical configuration, the details are (and more are available):
- 24volt DC config,. So panels are in serial pairs (2s X 4p).
- Solar Charge Controller (MPPT) capable of configuration for Lithium batteries
- 4 X Lithium battery modules from a 40KwH Nissan Leaf (1/6th of the total Leaf battery bank)
- 24v to 220v pure sine inverter, 2.5 Kw continuous output
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