A Solar Trailer Built to Stand Up to the Wind

The project began with a choice between our SG-7 and SG-4 mobile solar generators. Battery capacity was the key consideration: a 19 kWh or 30 kWh lithium iron phosphate system. That decision ultimately belongs to the customer because it depends on the overnight load, required reserve capacity, and desired operating margin.

SoCalGas selected the SG-4, part number 123-SG-4D41: a two-axle mobile solar generator equipped with ten panels and 4.6 kW of solar capacity. The system was intentionally oversized for the expected telemetry load. The customer preferred excess capacity over the risk of being underpowered at a remote site.

They also chose a solar-only configuration so routine operation would not require diesel fuel. Although no generator was installed, we incorporated an auxiliary generator input so a genset can be connected if a future project demands it.

Engineering for a High-Wind Application

After reviewing the initial design, the end user requested additional structural support. They wanted bracing from every panel corner down to the trailer’s lowest frame point, along with a wind-rated installation.

It was a reasonable requirement. A raised solar array can behave like a sail, especially at exposed gas-storage sites where wind moves through the surrounding terrain.

We worked with the customer to make the high-wind provisions part of the trailer’s fundamental structure—not an accessory added after fabrication. The final design included:

• Powder-coated steel structural bracing
• Rod bracing from each panel corner to the lower frame
• Tie-down bolts positioned at a 26-inch angle
• D-rings mounted less than two feet above ground level
• An internal automatic fire-suppression system
• Remote cellular monitoring for system visibility and oversight

Delivery of the Finished System

The completed SG-4 was ready for its scheduled November delivery. Severe weather delayed transportation by a couple of weeks, but waiting for safe conditions was the right decision.

The finished 123-SG-4D41 gave SoCalGas a mobile, solar-only power platform designed for dependable off-grid telemetry monitoring across multiple gas-storage sites. It combined generous energy capacity, high-wind structural reinforcement, automatic fire protection, remote monitoring, and the flexibility to accept generator backup if operating needs change.

This project demonstrates what specialized mobile solar should be: not a standard trailer forced into an unusual application, but a system engineered around the site, the load, and the customer’s real-world operating conditions.