Rebelle Rally will be Completely Powered with Zero-Carbon Green Renewable Energy
Renewable Innovations will travel over 1600 miles in the desert for more than a week providing power for vehicles, operations, and people. A global first for independent green large-scale power - Anywhere - Anytime
This year’s Rebelle Rally is greener (and cleaner) in more ways than one
We’re bringing back both our Mobile Energy Commands – Hydrogen and Solar – to the Rebelle Rally to deliver green power.
Once again, we’ll be charging the EVs in some of the harshest conditions, as well as providing power for the expanding Base Camp AKA “City in the Desert.”
We’re also going to be increasing our power output capability to meet new requests to improve the experience for the drivers and teams like:
Adding more lighting across the base camp
Delivering solar power for refrigerator trucks – no more diesel! A huge request from the base camp teams!
Every year is a new learning experience for everyone on the teams … staff, drivers, support teams, and media. At Renewable Innovations, we’re always looking for new ways to make the entire experience greener, cleaner, and more comfortable. We can’t wait to see everyone this October as we roll out yet another year of powering the on-course and base camp requirements of the Rebelle Rally.
Follow along with us
The Rebelle Rally is the longest competitive off-road navigation rally in the United States - and now it welcomes Electric Vehicles thanks to Renewable Innovations!
The remote rally takes place over 10 days in October and 2,500 kilometers of stunning roads, dirt roads, trails, dunes and designated open off-highway vehicle areas across Nevada and California. This year beyond the rugged terrain and navigational challenges, there’s also the very real challenge of keeping EVs (Electric Vehicles) charged in these harsh and remote conditions.
Traditional combustion-based vehicles (gasoline and diesel) are able to have their tanks filled in the morning and traverse the desert landscape. However, EVs use a different fuel - electricity - and it’s stored in large capacity batteries. The EVs actually store enough power to run your home for days. So rather than filling tanks with gasoline or diesel fuel, you now must fill batteries with enough energy to go an entire day. How do you do that in the middle of nowhere?
Powering On-Course EVs and a City in the Desert
In addition to charging EVs, base camp also needs power. Base camp is essentially a city in the middle of nowhere. All of the things you enjoy in your home, but at a larger scale, are required at base camp. Plus, power is also essential for the large media presence at base camp to bring the world live coverage of the minute-to-minute events.
To ensure they have the power for these harsh and remote conditions, we’re proud and excited that the Rebelle Rally partnered with Renewable Innovations, the industry leader in the development and deployment of hydrogen-powered, zero-carbon sustainable energy solutions.
Zero to Full Charge for EVs in Minutes
Bigger. Better. Faster. That sums up what Renewable Innovations is bringing to the Rebelle Rally to ensure that both base camp and all of the EV competitors are charged and ready to go … anywhere, anytime. This year we’re bringing our Mobile Energy Command - Hydrogen Powered EV Charging and our Mobile Energy Command - Solar to the Rally to deliver:
6X EV charging capacity | 10X base camp power capacity | 4X power generation capacity | 8X battery storage capacity
“As partners, we are delivering upon our shared vision and commitment to scalable, remote, renewable power. For the Rebelle Rally, this is the most extensive mobile, grid-free, green rapid charging and renewable operations we know to exist at this magnitude,” said Bob Mount, CEO of Renewable Innovations. “And better yet, it is showcasing and testing the vehicles that consumers actually can buy, not prototypes.”
Meet the Equipment that Powers the Rebelle Rally
Mobile Energy Command - Hydrogen Powered EV Rapid Charging (MEC-H2EV)
On-road power is delivered via the Mobile Energy Command - Hydrogen Powered EV Charging (MEC-H2EV), delivering power where and when it is needed across the rugged and remote terrain of the Rally. Even under normal circumstances, this type of rapid charge capability for EVs is rarely available from locations with access to vast utility sources. But the MEC-H2EV delivers EV charging with its mobile, rapid power generation capability anytime, anywhere.
The MEC is mobile energy generated, storage, managed and delivery capable of delivering:
360 kW of DC rapid charge
240kW of H2 FC Power
440 kWh of battery capacity
560 kW of AC Power
1/4 MW generation capability with H2 Fuel Cells
Mobile Energy Command - Solar Power (MEC-S)
Base camp power is delivered by the Mobile Energy Command - Solar (MEC-S). This 53-foot mobile power system features a control enclosure lined with high-density solar panels combined with “follow-the-sun” Smart flowers on each side to collectivity deliver 50 KW of peak power for base camp. That’s enough power for 6-8 homes per day!
Virtual Pipelines (VPs)
This year RI will be the hydrogen provider and bring green hydrogen to the desert.
How? The RI Virtual Pipeline (VP), in partnership with Quantum Fuel Systems, and Plug Power. The green hydrogen provides the fuel required to run the entire event. This VP will store 800 kg of hydrogen which is enough to deliver over 12,000 kWh of clean green power.
Support Trailer
This 26-foot trailer delivers advanced lighting, supplies, and additional power for all the needs that happen on the fly.
As we do these advanced operations, we become aware of items that need to be added based on past missions. This year we have added more power, more energy storage, more lighting, and the ability to transport our rescue vehicle.
Rescue Vehicle
As a new addition to our family this year, Renewable Innovations’ Rescue Vehicle is a welcome resource in the desert.
This exciting military special forces vehicle is custom built with night vision for a total covert rescue, as well as lighting that can be seen from the moon.
Special features for this application is the ability to charge vehicles with up to 15kWh of power, or tow them back to base camp.
Past rally images…
