Patent ID: 8864207

Claim:
A solar-powered mobile vending apparatus comprising: a portable trailer chassis; a trailer housing disposed upon the portable trailer chassis, the trailer housing having mounts disposed upon a top external surface configured for a plurality of fixedly mounted and angle-adjustable solar panels; at least one vending machine configured to be stored and transported in the housing upon the portable trailer chassis; a solar panel array, fixedly mounted upon the trailer housing mounts yet angle-adjustable to obtain a desired angle relative to the sun and having the plurality of solar panels, configured to capture sunlight and convert the captured sunlight into electricity, thereby to provide solar power to the at least one vending machine disposed within the trailer housing; a plurality of batteries disposed within the trailer housing and configured for charge from the electricity generated from the solar panel array in order to provide power to the at least one vending machine; a control system, located securely within the trailer housing, having a plurality of control components to control the plurality of batteries and the solar panel array, and to provide online internet connectivity, remote accessibility, and remote monitoring, the control system further comprising: a solar array combiner configured to combine a plurality of inputs from the each of the plurality of solar panels; and an inverter to convert between direct current (DC) as used by the plurality of batteries and alternating current (AC) as used to power the at least one vending machine; a grid-tie inverter coupled to the solar array combiner and configured to convert direct current from the solar panel array into alternating current and feed the alternating current into a utility power grid, thereby to feed a net outflow of power generated by the solar panel array greater than any amount of power drawn down from the utility power grid into the utility power grid when the mobile vending apparatus is on-grid, attached electrically coupled to the utility power grid; wherein the solar-powered mobile vending apparatus is adapted for use both off-grid and electrically uncoupled from the utility power grid and on-grid and electrically coupled to the utility power grid.