A portable power station that stores electricity in a lithium ion or lead acid battery and outputs alternating current. Despite the name, it does not generate power itself; it merely stores energy collected from portable photovoltaic panels or a wall outlet. Field crews use them for quiet, emission-free power in remote locations where gas generators are impractical.
Heard on the job
Grab the solar generator from the truck so we can run the diagnostic laptop without idling the engine all afternoon.
Insider tip
Insiders often dislike this term because there is no actual generator mechanism inside, just a battery and an inverter.
Also heard as
- portable power station
- battery generator