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Products · Week 37 of 52

Solar generator vs petrol generator for a small shop: the real monthly cost

For shops, kiosks and market stalls: what a US$126 portable solar generator runs, how it compares with a small petrol generator over a year, and when to step up to a 2 kW unit.

Small shops don't need a power plant; they need lights, phones, a fan and maybe a small TV — every day, without buying fuel. A portable solar generator does that for the price of a few months of petrol.

Key facts

  • FBE 200 W/145 W portable solar generator with 30 W panel: US$126.
  • Runs LED lights all night, 4–6 phone charges a day, a fan or small TV for hours.
  • A small petrol generator costs less to buy but US$20–40 a month in fuel plus servicing — the solar unit pays back within the year.
  • Need a fridge or freezer? Step up to the 2 kW FBE units with 250 L freezer or 255 L fridge.

What it runs

Lighting, phone charging, a fan, a radio, a router, a laptop. It charges from its own 30 W panel in a day of sun and can also charge from the mains where grid exists. No fuel, no noise, no wiring.

The yearly sum

A small petrol generator running four hours an evening burns a litre or so a day — US$25–35 a month at typical prices, plus oil and repairs. Over a year that is US$300–450. The solar generator costs US$126 once. The petrol unit also makes noise and fumes in a small shop; the solar unit doesn't.

When to step up

If you sell cold drinks, fish, meat or medicines, you need refrigeration, and that means the 2 kW FBE power station with a 250 L freezer (US$1,577) or 255 L fridge (US$1,586). Distributors carry all three.

See the portable range.

Talk to Frontières Bay

Frequently asked

Can it run a fridge?

No — the 200 W unit is for lights and small devices. Refrigeration needs the 2 kW units.

Where do I buy?

Through FBE distributors; request one through the website and we'll route you.

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