Hack Your Home Energy With a Portable Power Station

Everyone needs power sometimes, whether it's during a blackout, an outdoor adventure, or a backyard party.

While a huge generator works for some situations, it's often impractical to lug around a heavy machine and gallons of fuel. This is where portable power stations shine. One or more portable power stations, especially when paired with solar panels, can provide you with a limitless, free power supply. 

What Is a Portable Power Station?

A portable power station is a rechargeable, battery-powered device. Its lightweight, transportable design makes it ideal for emergencies, recreation, or any situation requiring power. Users can easily recharge this device using free and renewable solar power, often with a lightweight, portable solar panel. Other charging options include a vehicle's power outlet or a standard AC electrical outlet. With a portable power station, you have a rechargeable power source for camping trips, outdoor activities, or power outages.

Getting the Most Out of Your Portable Power Station

Part of the draw of a portable power station is its number of possible uses. Here are ways a portable power station can be valuable.

Backup key devices

A portable power station is an answer for emergency power in an outage. You can power a small refrigerator, medical devices, phones, a radio, lights, and other appliances. With a large portable power station (or multiple stations), it’s possible to power most or all of a home. 

A gas-powered generator works in an outage, however, you need fuel, storage for fuel, transportation for more fuel, and safety and exhaust precautions. (Make sure your portable power station can run what you need before purchasing.)

Power your camping trip

A portable power station can be refilled with solar energy, a vehicle’s power outlet, or a regular wall outlet, so it’s perfect for RV trips, camping trips, or really any road trip. You can be miles from the nearest electrical outlet and have a light, easy-to-operate battery that can charge or power phones, cameras, GPS devices, coolers, hot plates, fans, heaters, speakers, lighting, medical devices, and emergency communication.

Work remotely

If you regularly work away from established power sources a portable power station can be the best way to power laptops, phones, tablets, and internet devices. A portable power station is nearly silent. 

Save a little money

It’s possible to store free solar energy, then use that power instead of high-rate peak utility power depending on your electric utility’s time-of-use plans and periods. When you power devices with free solar energy from a portable power station, you’ll save a bit of money, though that probably shouldn’t be your main motivation. 

Outdoor events

A portable power station could be the solution for dependable, free power for speakers, a microphone, setting up a point-of-sale system, running a booth at a market or an event, lighting, screens, tablets, and phones for commercial, marketing, volunteer, or community uses.

Yard work

A portable power station can provide electricity for an outdoor project away from outlets. Trimming, pressure washing, using power tools, weed eating, and removing snow might be easier with a portable power station.

Fun

Take cookouts, parties, beach trips, or football tailgating to the next level. You’ll have an easy, fast, and free power source for cooking appliances, fridges/freezers, coolers, lights, TVs, projectors, sound systems, speakers, heaters, fans, phones, drones, and cameras. 

How to Revolutionize Your Home Energy 

You can use a portable power station at home, on the road, for work, in the great outdoors, and more. Depending on the battery storage capacity of the station, you’ll have the ability to power devices like phones or medical devices up to a refrigerator.

If you’re looking into more ways to save money, have backup power, or have free and clean power options for all sorts of jobs, check out Palmetto’s solar savings calculator or our home energy advisor page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the main uses of a portable power station?

A portable power station stores electricity from solar power, a wall outlet, or a vehicle’s power outlet, which you can use. anywhere you need it. Most uses for a portable power station fall into an emergency use for electricity or a need for power away from a grid power source.

Can you save money with a portable power station?

It is possible to save money with a portable power station, especially by recharging the station with solar panels. This makes recharging the station, and recharging devices with the station, free, though your savings are likely to be modest.

Photo by Zendure Power Station on Unsplash