Charge Tools with Solar

Ongoing improvements to batteries O have helped increasing numbers of gardeners to cut the cord- and the need for gasoline - for their string trimmers, edgers, lawn mowers and other gadgets.

- Susan M. Brackney

These days, in fact, you can even find heavy-duty equipment such as tillers, chainsaws and wood chippers powered with long-lasting rechargeable batteries.

Maybe you've already replaced some of your older gas-powered tools with electric or fully rechargeable, cordless models. To save money in the long-run- and go even greener - consider setting up your very own portable, solar-powered charging station.

"In terms of having an off-grid charging center for your tools, that's a relatively simple setup," says EcoFlow's Ryan Oliver, head of communications for North America. Established in 2017, EcoFlow specializes in portable power and renewable energy. "You can use a solar panel directly connected into a large storage battery and then with that large battery, the power station would be charging your individual [tool] batteries," he says. "There's enough capacity in these portable solar panels these days combined with putting that into a battery that you're going be able to power a lot of outdoor tools."

Small-Scale Solar

In some areas, professional landscapers have already begun transitioning to portable, solar-power systems. "There are rules being set up in local jurisdictions around the country banning the use of gas-powered, outdoor tools," Oliver says. "So, you're going to see landscapers actually installing solar arrays on their vans and using that to charge a battery system, which is ultimately going to charge the individual batteries that their tools require."

Unlike large, permanent solar panels connected to the established electrical grid, portable solar panels and their connected battery packs are much smaller, less expensive, and can be operated independently from the electrical grid. "A lot of our stuff is used by campers and outdoor enthusiasts," Oliver says.