For nearly 2 billion people in the world, work is mobile. These professionals, working in industries such as construction, events, and disaster response, need access to off-grid electricity. Fuel-powered internal combustion generators are the main source of power for work when grid power is not available. Small internal combustion engines are widely used around the world: 50 million of them were produced worldwide in 2020 alone.

These small engines are highly problematic: they produce significant emissions locally and globally, cause serious health risks, and drive up economic costs. For example, a single portable gasoline generator emits as much smog-forming pollution in an hour as an average passenger car does at a distance of 250 km (California Air Resources Board).Yet combustion generators are poorly regulated in the EU and elsewhere, and there is little data on their impact. But some countries are taking action: California recently banned the sale of gasoline-powered generators starting in 2028.

A team of European experts has studied whether portable battery systems can be a more sustainable alternative to combustion generators.

The newly released results of the study show that portable batteries significantly outperform traditional fuel-powered combustion generators in terms of environmental impact, work efficiency, and occupational health and safety.

Among the study's key findings, which are supported by data:

Portable batteries reduce life-cycle CO2 emissions.

Portable batteries set local emissions to zero. Internal combustion generators harm the health of users and bystanders by emitting significant amounts of exhaust emissions such as nitrogen oxide (NOx), particulate matter (PN), carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbons (HC).

Portable batteries eliminate noise pollution. Decibel levels quoted by combustion generator manufacturers range from 80 to 100 dB, well above the EU limit for high noise levels of 50-55 db.

Portable batteries provide significant cost savings: The largest economic cost associated with combustion generators relates to fuel costs. A comparison of total cost of ownership over 10 years already shows cost advantages of more than 25% in favor of batteries. Over the next decade, fuel prices are expected to increase sharply, while battery costs will decrease significantly.

Foxtheon Energy is focused on providing low carbon and efficient energy storage products and smart energy management solutions to residential, industrial and commercial users. We hope that low-carbon energy will benefit every household and every industrial and commercial user, and are working with global customers to create a low-carbon, green and ecological environment.