The alternative to the generator: mobile power stations

Introduction

In many contexts – isolated sites, outdoor events, rescue operations – access to the electrical grid can be limited or even nonexistent. Mobile battery power stations then appear as a reliable energy source, sustainable, environmentally friendly, silent, and efficient. They allow you to power your equipment without a generator, delivering electricity quietly, without direct CO₂ emissions or fine particles.

1. What is a mobile energy station?

To understand its potential, let's detail its composition and operation.

A portable mobile energy station combines three main elements:

• A lithium-ion battery

• A Battery Management System (BMS): ensures real-time monitoring of voltage, temperature, and cell balance.

• An inverter: converts the direct current (DC) from the batteries into alternating current (AC), ready to power your equipment.

Unlike a diesel generator, which produces electricity through internal combustion of fossil fuel (diesel, GNR, gas…), a power station:

• Stores electricity from the grid or renewable sources (photovoltaic panels)

• Provides alternating current without combustion, eliminating CO₂ and particulate emissions, while greatly reducing maintenance.

Now that we understand how they operate, let's see why these stations outperform generators in many areas.

2. Why use batteries as an alternative? The advantages of mobile energy stations

Mobile energy stations provide a high-performing alternative to traditional generators, in terms of economic, environmental, and operational aspects.

💵 Drastically reduced energy costs

Take a concrete example: a 6 kW diesel generator consumes on average 1.53 L/h at 75% load, producing about 4.5 kWh. With an average diesel price of €1.71/L (2024 price), that amounts to €0.58/kWh.

In comparison, a portable energy station charges at around €0.20/kWh from the grid. Even accounting for conversion losses (~10%), the effective cost remains around €0.22/kWh.

➡️ Result: 62% in savings during use, equating to hundreds, if not thousands, of euros saved each year for regular usage (5 h/day, 200 days/year). Not to mention the possibility of using solar energy, which further reduces the bill.

📈 Optimized energy management

While generators often run idle, unnecessarily consuming fossil fuel, energy stations only discharge when needed. It is also possible to schedule charging during off-peak hours to lower costs and optimize usage cycles to extend battery life.

🔧 Nearly nonexistent maintenance

Maintaining a generator is burdensome and costly: inspections, oil changes, filters, tests… It represents up to 37 hours per year and up to €1,000 in expenses. In contrast, battery stations require very little maintenance: no combustion engine, no fluids, no complex mechanical parts.

🔇 Silence and user comfort

Battery stations are quieter (less than 35 dB), unlike noisy generators (> 80 dB). They help reduce noise emissions and can therefore be used indoors or in sensitive environments (city centers, nature reserves, audiovisual shoots), without noise disturbances or vibrations.

🌱 A significantly reduced environmental impact

One liter of diesel emits 2.6 kg of CO₂ for 3.5 kWh produced, which is 740 g of CO₂/kWh. In comparison, the French electricity mix emits 53 g of CO₂/kWh.

➡️ On the scale of a construction site or event, this represents several tons of CO₂ avoided each year, not to mention the absence of fine particles, odors, or pollutant emissions.

3. Second-life batteries: combining performance and circularity

Second-life batteries embody an innovative approach: they combine high performance, lower environmental impact, and a circular logic.

What are second-life batteries?

These are new lithium-ion modules, derived from surplus production or containing minor aesthetic defects (scratches, markings). Although they have never been used, these modules are not integrated into vehicles due to not meeting strict automotive industry criteria.

➡️ Result: a fully functional resource that is underutilized, representing an ecological aberration if not repurposed.

Guaranteed optimal performance

These batteries come from next-generation electric vehicles, with very high requirements:

• High energy density (≥ 260 Wh/kg) for a compact format;

• Long lifespan (over 2,000 guaranteed cycles);

• Proven reliability through rigorous testing protocols.

Economic and practical benefits

• No performance loss: the nominal capacity is guaranteed at 100%.

A reduced environmental impact

The reuse of these modules avoids the production of new cells, allowing:

• Up to 40% less CO₂ emissions over their lifecycle;

• A reduction in electronic waste and pressure on critical resources (lithium, cobalt, nickel);

• An active contribution to the circular economy without compromise on performance.

• More than 500 kg of CO₂ avoided compared to the production of a new battery.

4. ECHO-5, the all-terrain mobile energy station

The ECHO-5 combines power, portability, and robustness. Designed for professionals, it provides reliable and continuous energy in a compact and easy-to-transport format.

Technical specifications

Power

• 5,000 W continuous AC output (plug & play)

• Up to 9,000 W peak

Storage capacity

• 6,850 Wh

Batteries

• 100% new second-life modules

• Density ≥ 260 Wh/kg, > 2,000 guaranteed cycles

BMS

• Real-time monitoring: voltage, temperature, current

• Automatic balancing, integrated protections

Charging

• 5 hours in standard charge mode on a 16A domestic socket

• Fast charging on a 16A domestic socket in 3 hours

• Compatible with photovoltaic panels

Format and robustness

• 60 kg, dimensions: 80 × 52 × 31 cm

• IP54: resistant to dust and splashes

Silence

• < 35 dB(A) at 1 m, no vibrations, emissions, or odors

➡️ Result: an autonomous, silent, and clean solution, suited to demanding energy needs (construction sites, events, shoots), with a quick and durable return on investment.

5. Comparison: mobile station vs generator

Conclusion: towards a new energy standard

Mobile energy stations powered by batteries are no longer a marginal alternative but a technically and economically viable solution, ready to replace a generator in most use cases. Their superiority is clear: energy savings, no maintenance, emissions reduced by 14 times, nearly silent operations, and increased mobility. At equal performance, they meet the current needs for flexibility, energy efficiency, and reduction of negative externalities.

In the short term, their adoption can be accelerated in sectors with high regulatory or logistical demands: construction, filming, events, emergency response. In the medium term, the continuous decline in battery prices and increasing environmental constraints (low emission zones, diesel taxation, CSR objectives) will work in their favor.

By 2030, they could very well become the new standard for off-grid energy.

This change is already underway: it just needs to be amplified.

Power. On.