One of the pressing needs in the event of a large-scale disaster or emergency is power. With Power2Serve, energy provider NRG is addressing this need head on in the form of 68 feet (21 m) of truck and trailer equipped with 40 kW of electrical generation and a Wi-Fi pavilion which people can use to communicate and keep abreast of events.
The 42-foot (13-m) truck tows a 26-foot (8-m) trailer and carries a deployable 10-kW photovoltaic array and two diesel generators. The larger of these can provide 20 kW of electrical power, and a 10 kW generator serves as backup.
As well as providing accommodation for seven volunteers, Power2Serve comes with a 50 x 20 ft (15 x 6 m) pavilion which can be heated or cooled according the conditions outside. The pavilion is kitted out with flat-panel televisions to provide news and weather updates, a satellite data connection and local Wi-Fi, tablet computers and 100 charging stations to keep phones, tools and other gadgets in working order.
NRG says that the company decided to take action in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, 2012's most devastating Atlantic hurricane. In the event of another such emergency, Power2Serve will be staffed by fully trained NRG volunteers.
Source: NRG via Treehugger
