Italian startup offers solar kits packed in barrels

From pv magazine Italy

Italian startup Barrel has developed a solar kit for remote areas and conflict zones that can be packed in typical oil barrels. It sells the solution in standard packages consisting of solar modules with a total output of 6 kW, a 5.6 kW single-phase hybrid inverter, and a 3.55 kWh lithium battery.

“At the moment, Barrel is present in several markets, with a particular focus on Africa and the Middle East,” Barrel founder Matteo Villa told pv magazine Italia. “Before the pandemic, we focused on providing electrical services to hospitals, remote care centers and schools. More recently, we have shipped our Barrels to Cuba, Ukraine, Dubai and Oman. In Africa, we are present in countries such as Morocco, Senegal and Mali, and we are developing a hospital project in Angola and Mozambique. Our presence also extends to Nigeria and Ghana.”

Villa said that Barrel also recently worked to support earthquake-affected areas in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna and Turkey.

“Our priority is always to offer immediate and reliable energy solutions in emergency situations, helping communities to recover and rebuild,” he said. “We continue to work with international and local organizations to extend our support into other areas in need of energy assistance,”

The company has a dedicated product line that uses exclusively technologies from Europe and the United States to meet the specific needs of the military supply chain. According to Villa, the enormous challenge consists of organizing integrated management processes for these plants and guaranteeing their maintenance.

“We understand the importance of sourced components to this industry and ensure that our products meet rigorous quality and safety standards,” Villa said. “Thanks to our partnership with reliable European and American suppliers, we are able to provide high quality energy solutions that meet the demands of military organizations.”

Barrel’s goal is not only to provide technology, but also to offer integrated consultancy to develop processes that guarantee the continuity of energy production over the decades within NGOs that manage thousands of energy points.