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solar container

After one of my most recent Alibaba import adventures, I was left with a shipping container in my yard. These engineering wonders are great for many uses outside of merely transferring goods around the world, with one of the most common secondary uses being watertight storage units. That seemed like a great idea to put to use for all of my electric “toys”. Between my electric bikes, e-motorcycles, e-ATVs, electric tractors, and a few other things I’m probably forgetting, having a weather-sealed, solar-powered off-grid charging shed would be a big benefit. And if I could add an air-conditioning unit to keep the machines from baking in the sun (and function as a dehumidifier at the same time), then all the better. As it turned out, the project was a lot easier than I expected. Here’s how I did it.

There are many ways to skin a cat, and even more ways to add solar power to a shipping container.

To be fair, I cheated a bit. Well, not really cheated, but I just went with a retail solar generator system instead of DIYing that part myself from à la carte components. It’s more expensive since you’re paying for a pre-designed and engineered solution, but damn if it doesn’t make it easy! To save a bit of money instead, you can source your own solar panels, solar charge converter, batteries, inverter, and wiring, then make it all play together.

For me and my limited time, an offer from Pecron for a solution that would do all of that for me sounded perfect, so I went with Pecron’s system.

To make it all work as a solar shed, I’d have to mount the various components around the container. I started with the solar panels, which would need a frame. I used pressure-treated 2x4s to build a pair of mounts for the solar panels, each of which would hold three 200W panels.

With 1,200W of theoretical power (and probably more like 900W of solid real-world Florida solar energy), that would be a decent flow rate.

The panels I used are Pecron’s folding panels, which aren’t really meant for this type of long-term permanent installation. They should work, it’s just that you’re not really taking advantage of their folding nature.

They’re really designed for camping and other mobile scenarios where you’d want the ability to pack up and move your solar setup with ease.

You can imagine that with a setup like this, you could easily set up a 1,000-ish watt solar array at your campsite or off-grid cabin for a few days, then stow it all away in your trunk again later.

I mounted the panels using screws and big fender washers to hold them to the wooden panels. You can see it in more detail in my video of the project.

I know that everyone and their brother is going to ask me why I didn’t put the panels on an angle. And the answer is to hopefully give them better wind protection.

As I mentioned, these aren’t really designed for permanent installation, and thus they don’t have rigid frames. They’re pretty rigidly mounted to the wooden frames now, and the frames are lashed to the container, but it’s still a giant sail.

We occasionally get storms with pretty decent gusts, and so I wanted the panels flat to not give the horizontal gusts a surface to push against.

Angling the panels south would have been slightly more efficient, but the site is within spitting distance of the southernmost point in the US, so the efficiency difference of flat vs angled panels isn’t as big as if this was in Maine.

From there I had to get the wiring set up to feed my batteries. Here is where the beauty of the pre-built system really shows. All of the panels are wired for the inverter/battery/charge controller gear (which is an all-in-one unit) and the kit includes all of the adapters.

However, because I had to run the wires much further, I bought a set of 20 ft MC-4 solar panel extension wires. That allowed me to run all of the panels in parallel and then send them on a long enough run to make it through the existing vent hole in the side of the container. I had to drill out the vent hole a bit, and despite it not looking like it, I did put a small drip loop in the wires to prevent rainwater from running down the cables and into the container.

It’s been sitting there through plenty of rainy days over the last month, and not a drop of water has entered the container through the hole for the wires.

Once on the inside, I bundled the wires and ran them down to the Pecron E2000LFP and a pair of EB3000 auxiliary batteries.

Between the three of them, I’d have around 8 kWh of storage capacity. The 1,200W solar array should be able to nearly fill that entire battery bank with a solid day of strong Florida sun, though it’s pretty rare that I’d even use the entire 8 kWh in a day anyway.

The three units are all designed to plug into each other and cascade power between them, making this a simple operation. I literally just plugged in the wires and it worked like magic. I don’t mind getting custom, and I’ve got an engineering degree on my shelf that says I enjoy designing solutions, but sometimes it’s just nice to have something arrive ready to work.

To support them all and keep them off the floor so they don’t cut into my valuable storage space, I built a hanging shelf for them. That’s probably 180 pounds of batteries all together, so the shelf is made out of C-channel galvanized steel and hung from chains.

Next came the air conditioning. 

I got one of the cheapest portable air conditioning units on Amazon I could find, and despite now realizing that was probably a bad idea, from an efficiency standpoint, it seems to work pretty well.

I should have gone with a small mini-split type of air conditioning unit, would would have been much more efficient. But I’m generating way more solar power than I can possibly use in this off-grid container, and so peak efficiency is less important to me.

For this cheap portable unit, I had to cut a hole in the side of the container for the hot exhaust air to flow, then drill a smaller hole for the condensation tube to drain.

Despite not being the most efficient solution, it quickly cools the air in there (even if it is also sucking some outside air in through the container’s vents). It also acts as a dehumidifier, which is perhaps even more important to me, as my electric toys are likely just as unhappy about being in a super humid environment as they are about just being hot.

In the end, it all works! I mean, I took the easy way out with the Pecron system, but it’s still a cool feeling to start with a bare shipping container and end up with an off-grid solar charging shed that you put together with your own two hands.

With 8 kWh of stored energy and nearly 1,000W of real-world power in direct sun (and often 600-800W in less-than-ideal conditions), this is a seriously powerful system for just charging up all my EVs.

This could power a tiny home or other small off-grid setup like a hunting cabin. For me though, I’ll start with just keeping my electric tractors and motorcycles charged!

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Greenlane’s flagship electric charging truck stop is now online [update]

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2 hours ago

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April 24, 2025

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Greenlane's flagship electric charging truck stop is now online [update]

Greenlane flagship charging truck stop
Photo: Greenlane

Greenlane, which is rolling out a US EV charging network for big rigs, just switched on its first electric truck stop in Colton, California.

April 24, 2025: The flagship facility, at the intersection of Interstates 215 and 10, was completed eight months after breaking ground. It’s got 41 OEM-agnostic chargers with 12 pull-through lanes and CCS 400 kW dual-port chargers with liquid-cooled cables. They’re built to handle big Class 8 electric rigs with ease. Twenty-nine bobtail lanes feature CCS 180 kW chargers.

Colton offers a spacious lounge with food and drinks, a water refill station, and restrooms. There’s free wifi, mobile charging stations, and 24/7 customer support. Security includes round-the-clock on-site attendants, security cameras, gated access, and enhanced lighting. Office space is available for leasing, and there’s overnight truck and trailer parking.

It’s the first of several electric charging truck stops planned for the company’s I-15 commercial EV charging corridor. Greenlane plans to expand its network with future sites expected roughly every 60 to 90 miles in Long Beach, Barstow, and Baker, California.

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Greenlane has also secured its first commercial fleet customer, fully electric truckload carrier Nevoya, which will begin operating its fleet of electric trucks out of Colton early next month. Nevoya will use the charging infrastructure and occupy on-site office space. The two companies plan to scale the partnership to include up to 100 of Nevoya’s electric trucks.

Greenlane’s flagship electric charging truck stop

March 11, 2025: Builder and developer Mortenson is constructing the commercial EV charging facility in Colton, which broke ground last September. It will include more than 40 chargers when it comes online for heavy, medium, and light-duty EVs. In its next phase, Greenlane plans to deploy solar panels and battery storage to enhance grid stability, manage peak loads, and increase energy efficiency.

Greenlane’s pull-through lane chargers will be equipped with Alpitronic CCS 400 kW dual-port chargers featuring oil-cooled cables. That means faster charging without the bulk—these cables stay lightweight and easy to handle. For bobtail charging, eFill CCS 180 kW chargers will be available, bringing smart energy management to keep fleet operations running smoothly.

To keep everything in check, ABB’s SCADA system will handle remote monitoring and breaker management, boosting reliability and efficiency. Plus, Greenlane’s sites are built with Trenwa precast cable trench, making it easier to expand EV charging infrastructure and upgrade to megawatt charging as fleet demand grows.

Greenlane’s tech launch

Greenlane, a joint venture between Daimler Truck North America, NextEra Energy, and BlackRock, also debuted its branded digital technology suite as part of its ongoing development of the I-15 Commercial EV Charging Corridor. The products will be rolled out in phases.

Greenlane’s Chief Technology Officer, Raj Jhaveri, said, “Our technology helps maximize uptime and operational efficiency by ensuring vehicles are charged efficiently and ready to meet the demands of their freight schedules.”

The tech rollout includes an app that allows drivers to check charger availability and make reservations in advance, a fleet portal that enables fleet managers and dispatchers to plan and manage routes for their electric fleets, and a new Greenlane website.

Greenlane also now has OnRamp Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) that integrate with existing fleet solutions, providing fleet managers and drivers access to optimized routes, efficient charging and refueling schedules, and related charging data and emissions savings.

Read more: Greenlane announces LA to LV charging corridor for commercial trucks

If you live in an area that has frequent natural disaster events, and are interested in making your home more resilient to power outages, consider going solar and adding a battery storage system. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.

Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get started here. –trusted affiliate link*

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Thousands of Volkswagen ID. Buzz vans are going driverless on Uber

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4 hours ago

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April 24, 2025

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Thousands of Volkswagen ID. Buzz vans are going driverless on Uber

Volkswagen Uber
Photo: Volkswagen Group of America

VW’s US self-driving arm, Volkswagen ADMT (Autonomous Driving Mobility & Transport), is partnering with Uber to roll out thousands of autonomous ID. Buzz vans across the US over the next decade.

The plan kicks off in Los Angeles, with testing starting later this year and commercial rides expected to launch in 2026.

The ID. Buzz autonomous driving (AD) vans will have human operators onboard during early testing and launch phases to help fine-tune the tech and keep things safe. Each stage will only move forward once regulators give the green light.

Volkswagen’s mobility brand MOIA is supplying the vehicles and the AD software that’ll run them on Uber’s platform. It’s a full-stack approach to bringing self-driving EVs to ride-hailing, and another sign that the robotaxi race is heating up.

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“Volkswagen is not just a car manufacturer – we are shaping the future of mobility, and our collaboration with Uber accelerates that vision,” said Christian Senger, CEO of Volkswagen Autonomous Mobility. 

In March 2024, Volkswagen became the first vehicle manufacturer to develop a Level 4 AD service vehicle for large-scale production. Level 4 AD means the car can handle most driving situations independently in a defined area, such as a city. It can also drive alone, without passengers.

To limit power outages and make your home more resilient, consider going solar with a battery storage system. In order to find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and you share your phone number with them.

Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get started here. –trusted affiliate link*

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Jackery cuts Explorer 5000 Plus offers to new lows from $2,483, Lectric XP 3.0 e-bike bundles up to $365 off, Anker SOLIX C1000, more

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4 hours ago

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April 24, 2025

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Jackery cuts Explorer 5000 Plus offers to new lows from ,483, Lectric XP 3.0 e-bike bundles up to 5 off, Anker SOLIX C1000, more

Today’s Green Deals are being led by a surprise Earth Day Sale changeup from Jackery, with the brand increasing savings on its latest Explorer 5000 Plus offers that are seeing a bunch of new low prices starting from $2,483, but they’ll be ending tomorrow night. We also have new Lectric deals taking up to $365 off XP 3.0 e-bike bundles starting from $999, as well as Anker’s SOLIX C1000 Portable Power Station down at $449 with some additional bundle options. Lastly, we spotted the latest generation of Greenworks’ Pro 3,000 PSI Electric Pressure Washer hitting a new $349 low, but only through the rest of the day. Plus, all the other hangover Green Deals are in the links at the bottom of the page, like yesterday’s new Heybike Hauler e-bike low, the multi-day EcoFlow flash offers, and more.

Head below for other New Green Deals we’ve found today and, of course, Electrek’s best EV buying and leasing deals. Also, check out the new Electrek Tesla Shop for the best deals on Tesla accessories.

Jackery increases savings on its modular Explorer 5000 Plus offers at new lows starting from $2,483

Looking back in on Jackery’s ongoing Earth Day sale through April 25, we spotted notable price cuts across the brand’s Explorer 5000 Plus offers, starting with the power station on its own for $2,483.10 shipped, after using the promo code EARTH10 at checkout for an additional 10% off. Normally going for $3,499 at full outside of discounts, we saw it spend most of the sale’s length at the former $2,849 low with the additional 5% savings from before. Now, you’re looking at savings increasing to 29% off, giving you $1,016 in total savings at a new all-time low. Head below to learn more about this model and check out the other low prices on its bundle options. It’s also beating out its Amazon pricing, where it’s still sitting at $2,999.

The latest release from Jackery, the Explorer 5000 Plus is the brand’s largest modular backup power solution, starting with a 5,040Wh LiFePO4 capacity that can be expanded up as high as 60,000Wh. Through its 12 output ports, it can deliver up to 7,200W of power that can double to 14,400W when connected to a second power station unit – plus, it comes rated for 4,000 life cycles, meaning you can completely discharge and “recharge it every day for nearly 11 years.”

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Jackery’s Explorer 5000 Plus comes ready to cover load demands of 120V and 240V devices alike (while also extending this versatility to solar charging for better compatibility with panels that use a MC4 connector), including the batteries in your RV and EV too, making it quite the option for folks who want a plug-and-play option that they can rely on at home while also taking it out of the house on trips. Along with the ChargeShield 2.0 protections, it also comes fireproof, shockproof, and is rated with an IPX4 water-resistant rating. You can get the full rundown on its many other capabilities in our original launch coverage here.

***Note: The extra 10% off discount has not been factored into the prices below – be sure to use the code EARTH10 at checkout for the maximum savings!

Jackery’s Earth Day Explorer 5000 plus deals:

Be sure to check out the full lineup of Jackery’s Earth Day Sale while the savings last through April 25, complete with bonus savings.

Lectric XP 3.0 e-bike

Lectric Lightning Deals hit XP 3.0 e-bikes with up to $365 in free gear for outdoor ventures starting from $999

Lectric has continued many of its Earth Day e-bike bundle prices while switching things up with Lightning Deals on its XP 3.0 e-bikes that are getting increased bundles with up to $365 in free gear. You’ll find the Standard models now getting $310 bundles at $999 shipped alongside the Long-Range models getting $365 bundles at $1,199 shipped. These packages would normally cost you $1,309 and $1,564, respectively. These may not be the largest bundles we’ve seen before, but they are continuing the recent trend of gearing you up with cargo-capable add-ons for greater versatility during your outdoor ventures through spring and summer. Head below to learn more about these e-bikes and the included bundles you’ll be getting when purchasing them while these deals remain.

The best-selling e-bikes in America, Lectric’s XP 3.0 e-bikes offer durability and reliability while keeping down at extremely affordable rates. The frame provides folding capabilities for easier storage and transport when not in use, with a 500W hub motor that peaks at 1,000W and can top out at either 20 or 28 MPH speeds, depending on your state’s laws. Your decision on which to buy will largely fall on how far you want it to carry you, as the Standard models provide up to 45 miles of travel with PAS activated, while the Long-Range models take things further for up to 65 miles.

There are throttles on all the models for when you want to cruise off pure electric power, though this will decrease your travel range. They also come stocked with an integrated rear cargo rack (which the basket attaches to), puncture-resistant tires, 180mm hydraulic disc brakes, and an LCD display. Of course, don’t forget about the free gear you’ll be getting, with the Standard models coming with steel-encased front and rear cargo baskets, rear-view mirrors, a phone mount, an accordion-style bike lock, and a bottle holder. The Long-Range models are getting the same cargo package, a wide comfort saddle, a phone mount, a 35L water-resistant soft cooler, and a water-resistant pannier bag.

The e-bike pricing on the brand’s other e-bike bundles have remained the same, which you can browse in full in our original sale coverage here.

Anker SOLIX C1000 Portable Power Station

Score Anker’s SOLIX C1000 1,056Wh LiFePO4 power station with $550 in savings at $449

By way of its official Amazon storefront, Anker is offering its SOLIX C1000 Portable Power Station at $449 shipped, with the price undercutting its direct flash sale pricing by $100. This model normally sits at a full $999 price tag, though we’ve been more recently seeing it start at Amazon from $799. While we have seen it go $20 low before – last time being at the top of February – it’s been spending the last two months mostly dropping to either $499 or this same rate we’re seeing today. You’ll be scoring a 55% markdown off its MSRP while this deal lasts, giving you $550 in savings at the second-lowest price we have tracked.

Anker’s SOLIX C1000 power station makes a great camping companion for those who want a little more battery size from the camping-oriented C800 models, especially considering it’s beating those smaller models’ pricing, which starts from $499. It provides you with a 1,056Wh LiFePO4 capacity (with a bundle option below that will double that amount) alongside up to 1,800W of steady power output through its 11 port options that can surge to 2,400W for larger appliance needs. You can refill the battery to 80% in just 43 minutes when plugged into a wall outlet, though this does only account for the station alone and not any expanded setup. There’s also a 600W maximum solar input that you can take advantage of to refill the entire battery in 1.8 hours with ideal sunny conditions.

We’re seeing two discounted bundle options right now from Amazon that you can take advantage of, with the first giving you the power station and a 200W solar panel for $699 shipped, down from $1,299. As mentioned before, you could also score the station with an expansion battery to reach a 2,112Wh capacity for $869 shipped, bringing the costs significantly far from its $1,798 MSRP.

Greenworks Pro 3,000 PSI Electric Pressure Washer

Greenworks’ latest pro-tier 3,000 PSI electric pressure washer at new $349 low (Today only)

As part of its Deals of the Day, Best Buy is offering the best price yet on the newest generation of Greenworks’ Pro 3,000 PSI Electric Pressure Washer for $349 shipped. Carrying a $450 price tag outside of discounts, we’ve seen three previous drops to $360 over at Amazon, which is currently out of stock. For the rest of the day, though, you can get a better-than-ever $101 markdown that drops costs to the lowest price we have tracked. This deal is also beating out the direct Greenworks website, where stock has also run out, making this the best place to score it to cover your outdoor cleaning needs through the months ahead.

Housed within a heavy-duty steel frame, this generation’s pro-tier model adds a foldable design over its predecessor for easier storage and transport when not in use. The 14A TruBrushless motor maxes out at 3,000 PSI for your cleaning needs, with a 1.1 to 2.0 GPM flow rate as it goes. Like its previous model, you’ll also find an onboard one-gallon detergent tank here, as well as a bunch of included accessories for wider versatility, including five nozzles, 25 feet of kink-resistant hose, and a durable quick-connect metal wand/gun.

Best Spring EV deals!

Best new Green Deals landing this week

The savings this week are also continuing to a collection of other markdowns. To the same tune as the offers above, these all help you take a more energy-conscious approach to your routine. Winter means you can lock in even better off-season price cuts on electric tools for the lawn while saving on EVs and tons of other gear.

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