Decarbon Venture launches Airbase Duo and Quad on Kickstarter
by Decarbon Venture 15 Nov 2023 22:47 AEDT
Designed for RVs, off-grid living, off-road camping and marine/yachts, Decarbon Venture Airbase uses revolutionary semi-solid batteries for high power-to-weight ratio; new generators store typically twice the power and weigh less than half that of traditional lithium battery-based generators
Key points:
- The DCV portable generators are about half the weight and deliver twice the power of similar products
- Feature a breakthrough swappable and modular battery design
- Batteries work with DCV solar panels and can continually charge while in use
- Airbase generators can run air conditioners, tea kettles/coffee pots, hair dryers, etc.
The solar generators with the highest power to weight ratio, the Decarbon Venture (DCV) Airbase Duo and Quad, are available for pre-purchase through Kickstarter now. Launched 10 days ago, the initial Kickstarter targets were smashed within the first 24 hours of launch. The Kickstarter campaign has 27 days to go.
The modular DCV generators store a remarkable 3600Wh for the Duo and 7200Wh for the Quad, while weighing only 50 pounds and 100 pounds (for Duo and Quad, respectively), making it possible for almost anyone to move them around. With a large storage capacity, even the smaller Duo can provide enough power in off grid homes and RVs for air conditioners, hair dryers, coffee makers, tea kettles and more for hours.
In contrast, similar footprint solar or gas-powered generators have a much-reduced energy capacity—perhaps 2000 - 3000Wh—and weigh more than twice that of the DCV generators.
Designed from scratch by an Australian engineer who spends months in the Outback, the DCV generators feature a revolutionary swappable and modular battery design: the Quad holds four, semi-solid state detachable batteries and the Duo has two.
For anyone heading off-grid, the DCV Power Modules (batteries) are designed to work with the DCV solar panels and can be continually charged while in use. The batteries can also power a growing number of products in the DCV Ecosystem, including ebikes, boats and more. Batteries can also be charged using the car battery or ordinary home electricity, and swapped in and out of the generators as needed.
The power/weight ratio makes the new DCV generators ideal for recreation far from the grid: RVs in the desert or out on a river cruise in a sailboat, among other use cases. They are also IP55 weather and dust-proofed for camping.
DCV Generators are tops in capacity/weight ratio
| Similar Product Comparison (Power and Weight) |
| Product Name | Airbase Quad | Airbase Duo | Bluetti AC300 + 1*B300 | Jackery Explorer 2000 Plus |
| Watt-Hours | 7200Wh | 3600Wh | 3,072Wh | 2042.8Wh |
| Total Weight | 92.6 lbs | 48.5 lbs | 91.7 lbs | 61.5 lbs |
| Heaviest Piece | 22 lbs | 13.2 lbs | 47.6 lbs | 61.5 lbs |
"A petrol generator is a terrible option. It weighs about 130 pounds. It's also incredibly noisy. On the other hand, the DCV Airbase Duo is whisper quiet, and weighs only 51 pounds," said Decarbon Venture co-founder Geoff Elwood. "And using all that horrible fossil fuel makes it really awful to operate."
"When you look at the storage power on offer with competing traditional lithium based products, they are essentially heavy, bulky toys. The DCV Duo, and its big brother, the Quad, pack so much energy into a small footprint, and they are so light that even my younger sister can easily move them around," Elwood said.
Testers who travel in RVs have described the convenience of being able to run everyday luxuries (the tea kettle/coffee maker and even a hair dryer) as well as essentials like the AC just with one DCV Duo. Boaters appreciate the solar charging and the convenient modularity of extra batteries for backup.
Other applications include: tradesmen and skilled repair technicians powering their tools out of their vans; DJs powering musical equipment without the disruptive noise of a generator; and even off-grid ebike riders can use the DCV Power Module to travel 150+ miles on a single charge.
Founder Elwood describes being able to enjoy more than 10 hours of air conditioning or six hours of heating during extreme weather conditions, exclusively using the Quad. "This level of convenience and reliability is a dream for me," Elwood said.