Who makes it: Pure Power Distribution
Sometimes innovation isn’t dreaming up something brand new, it’s putting things together in a new way to solve a problem.
That’s why Sustainable Industries‘ judges picked the Mobile Solar Power System, which, as its name suggests, is essentially a solar array on wheels that can provide clean, quiet power to construction sites.
“The innovation is that they thought to put everything together and put it on a trailer,” one judge said. “I was impressed by the idea that somebody thought to package this together.”
The systems, made by Santa Monica, Calif.-based Pure Power Distribution, are designed to replace dirty diesel generators that contribute noise and air pollution in the form of carbon dioxide, particulate matter and carcinogenic compounds.
“These things are hugely impactful,” in eliminating the constant noise and emissions from diesel generators, said Christopher Smith, Pure Power Distribution’s head of marketing,
The mobile systems, which are available for purchase or rent, come in a range of sizes. Its standard model for construction can deliver up to 18 kilowatts of power at a price comparable to using a diesel generator and fuel, Smith said.
The company also makes a hybrid system that combines solar power with a biodiesel generator that kicks in when needed.
The systems’ panels raise into a locked vertical position for aerodynamic transport. Once on site, the panels are adjusted horizontally to catch the sun’s rays. The systems are designed to be rugged enough to withstand the rigors of a construction site, yet are easy to transport and deploy, Smith said. They include GE solar panels, inverters and charge controllers made by Xantrex and Outback and Interstate batteries.
As new construction has ground to a near-halt in recent years, Pure Power has discovered that there are other markets for clean mobile power. The systems are being used to fuel outdoor events like the Los Angeles Marathon, movie and television sets, and U.S. military operations.
