What is an energy container?
Prefabricated container unit (typically 20 or 40 feet) with photovoltaics, battery storage, inverter, optional emergency generator.
Popular categories
Self-sufficient container solution · Quality control in Germany
Energy and value creation - wherever they are needed.
The self-sufficient energy container combines photovoltaic vegetable oil generator and processing technology in one ISO container. It generates electricity and presses oil completely off the grid - directly at the harvest site, even without a power or water network.
5.75 kWElectrical output
20 L/hVegetable oil production
150Processable seeds
30–40 %Overall efficiency
Photovoltaics
Solar modules on the container roof
5.75 kWp — Self-sufficient power supply during the day
Vegetable oil generator
Electricity from self-pressed oil
~2 L/h — Self-consumption with 24-hour operation
Energy storage
Buffer storage for load peaks
20+ kWh — Night operation and starting current
Processing cell
Oil press · Filter · Filling
20 L/h — Can be used directly at the harvest site
Four modules — One production cell
Four modules. A complete production cell.
The energy container combines power generation, storage and oil processing in one mobile unit. Completely independent of the grid - electricity and oil are generated directly at the point of use.
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Photovoltaics
5.75 kWp solar modules on the container roof generate electricity for daily operations.
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Vegetable oil generator
Burns the self-pressed vegetable oil to generate electricity - night operation and load peaks.
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Energy storage
Backup battery for 20+ kWh — compensates for solar fluctuations and supplies starting motors.
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Processing technology
Oil press filter and filling in food-grade stainless steel - turnkey.
Fields of application
One container has many fields of application.
Application 1
Oilseed processing
Mobile pressing operation directly on the farm or in the field. 150+ oilseeds possible - rapeseed, sunflower, linseed, hemp, pumpkin seed, peanut, sesame.
- Capacity~20 L/h oil
- Pressing processGentle cold pressing
- StorageMax. 4 months (refrigerator)
- Structure20-foot ISO container
Application 2
Palm oil processing
Olive oil Avocado oil directly after harvest. Reduces transport distances and enables premium quality with a maximum service life of 4 hours after harvest.
- Suitable forOlives Avocados
- Temperature≤27 °C (EVOO-compliant)
- LocationDirectly in the grove
- Polyphenol preservation>85%
Application 3
Energy & mobility hub
Electricity island for Off-grid locations. Charges electric vehicles and supplies workshops and storage areas without a grid connection.
- Output5.75 kW permanent
- Storage20+ kWh buffering
- ApplicationsE-mobility workshop camp
- Backup powerFrom vegetable oil
Why energy containers
Six reasons for the self-sufficient Energy container.
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Completely self-sufficient
No grid connection costs, no permits for electricity connection. Immediately ready for operation on site.
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Added value remains on site
Pressing directly at the producer saves transport routes and contract pressing - up to 60% more margin.
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Modular & turnkey
20ft ISO container pre-configured. Set up, attach solar modules using quick assembly, switch on – done.
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Quality control in Germany
Engineering and production in Cottbus.
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Training & Service
Operator training during assembly. Remote diagnosis via data link, 24-month guarantee and spare parts warehouse in Germany.
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Climate-neutral energy
Solar power plus renewable vegetable oil generator. CO₂-neutral production on balance.
How it works
Four steps to becoming a mobile oil and electricity producer.
1
Set up containers
Deliver 20-foot ISO containers by truck or trailer and place them on a level surface.
2
Solar modules using quick assembly
Roof modules attaching using quick assembly — 5.75 kWp. Connection to storage and generator.
3
Start pressing operation
Fill oilseeds or fruits into the hopper. The system presses, filters and fills directly on site.
4
Use energy
Electricity for e-mobility workshop operations or neighboring consumers. Backup via vegetable oil generator.
Knowledge Center Energy Container
Self-sufficient energy container - electricity & heat for oil mills.
If there is no power grid available at the location or is too expensive: self-sufficient energy supply via container solution with PV, battery and emergency generator.
Suitable for whom?
Farm locations without a grid, off-grid production, mobile systems, development projects with olive pressing in remote regions.
Performance sizes
5–50 kW PV connection, 10–200 kWh battery storage. Peak load covers OW presses, filters and filling without any problems.
Quick assembly
Complete container is delivered by truck, set up and connected to the building. 1-2 days moving to the next location.
Components
Solar modules, inverters, lithium iron phosphate batteries, power management systems, housings, air conditioning, security electrical systems.
Investment
Project dependent. Complete container with all components in the six-figure range. Detailed investment planning on request.
Economic efficiency
Often amortized more quickly when network connection costs > €50,000. For off-grid locations, containers are the only option.
Maintenance
Very low maintenance. Solar: cleaning every 5 years. Battery: 10-15 years lifespan. Inverter: 10 years.
Scalable
Several containers can be linked for larger power requirements. Modular expansion possible.
Inquiry
For location analysis, energy requirements and configuration, use the form below.
Palm oil knowledge center
Palm oil processing in containers - mobile solution on cultivation.
Palm oil is the world's most produced vegetable oil (over 75 million t/year, >36% of global vegetable oil production). Mobile container systems enable decentralized processing directly at the cultivation site - without long transport routes and with a short time-to-press.
Was ist Palmöl?
Palmöl wird aus dem Mesokarp (Fruchtfleisch) der Ölpalme Elaeis guineensis gewonnen. Aus dem Kern derselben Frucht entsteht separat Palmkernöl (ähnlich Kokosöl). Palmöl ist bei Raumtemperatur halbfest, Schmelzpunkt 35–40 °C, hoher Rauchpunkt 235 °C.
Globale Anbaugebiete
- Indonesien — ca. 60 % der Welternte
- Malaysia — ca. 25 %
- Thailand, Kolumbien, Nigeria, Ecuador
- Honduras, Guatemala, Papua-Neuguinea, Kamerun, Kölken-Republik
Frischfruchtbund (FFB)
Harvest as fresh fruit bunches (FFB) of 5-40 kg. Mature trees provide 15–25 t FFB/year per hectare of plantation. Optimal: Processing within 24-48 hours after harvest, otherwise enzymatic free fatty acid formation (FFA) begins, which reduces the oil to premium quality.
Processing in detail
- Sterilization: FFB with steam at 130–140 °C for 75–90 min
- Stripping: Remove fruits from the bundle
- Digester: Softening + kneading
- Pressing: Double screw press 50-80 bar
- Clarification: Vibration sieve + decanter
- Drying: Vacuum drying to < 0.1% water
Yield & key figures
Typical oil yield: 20-25% CPO (Crude Palm Oil) from the FFB. Plus 2-3% palm kernel oil (PKO). Efficiency Maximum: 23% Oil Extraction Rate (OER). Rest: 65-70% water, fiber, kernels (pomace).
Quality classes
- CPO (Crude Palm Oil) — raw mechanical pressed product
- RBD Palm Oil — refined, bleached, deodorized
- RSPO certified — sustainable according to Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil
- Palm Olein / Palm Stearin — Fractionated Palm oil (liquid / solid)
- Red Palm Oil — unrefined, high carotenoid content
RSPO & Sustainability
The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) sets standards: no cultivation on primary forest, no draining of peat soil, fair working conditions, traceability. Important for EU and premium marketing. Certified systems often command a premium premium of 5-20%.
EUDR - EU Deforestation Regulation
The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR, VO 2023/1115) has been in effect since the end of 2024.: all EU palm oil imports must be verifiably deforestation-free (deadline December 31, 2020). Requires plantation geolocation data, due diligence statement, audits. Mobile container processing at the cultivation site simplifies compliance verification.
Container advantages
- Decentralized processing — no FFB transport
- Faster pressing — lower FFA value, premium quality
- Lower carbon footprint — reduced transport costs
- EUDR compliance — direct Geolocation
- Off-grid possible — with PV + battery + emergency power
- Scalable — several containers can be coupled
Market & prices
World palm oil market: approx. 75 million t/year (2024). Raw material prices CPO: 2024 approx. 800-1,200 USD/t (FOB Malaysia). RSPO-certified palm oil achieves higher margins, EUDR-compliant palm oil will be in the premium market from 2025.
Use
- Food: Margarine, baked goods, frying oil, chocolate components
- Cosmetics: Creams, soaps, surfactants
- Biofuel: HVO (hydrogenated vegetable oils), FAME (biodiesel)
- Industry: Lubricants, oleochemical raw materials
Recycling of residues
Pomace (POME, EFB) is classified as Biogas raw material, compost and solid fuel usable. For integrated systems: Biogas plant returns electricity + heat. Kernels are processed separately into palm kernel oil.
FAQ-20 Palm oil
20 questions about palm oil processing in containers
The most important answers about plant, fruit, market and sustainability.
Oil from the pulp (mesocarp) of the oil palm Elaeis guineensis. Semi-solid at room temperature, melting point 35-40 °C.
Palm oil from the pulp. Palm kernel oil from the kernel – separate product, higher saturation, similar to coconut oil.
20-25% Crude Palm Oil (CPO). Plus 2-3% palm kernel oil. Best case at 23% OER (Oil Extraction Rate).
Indonesia (60%), Malaysia (25%), Thailand, Colombia, Nigeria, Ecuador, Honduras, Papua New Guinea.
FFB spoil within 24-48 hours. Decentralized pressing at the cultivation site results in higher quality, lower FFA, faster marketing.
Project dependent. Scaling through containers running in parallel. Concrete planning per location.
Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil — Standard for sustainable palm oil cultivation without deforestation, with fair working conditions.
EU Deforestation Regulation (VO 2023/1115). Since 2024, imports must be deforestation-free (deadline December 31, 2020). Mobile containers simplify geolocation.
Crude Palm Oil — mechanically pressed raw product, unrefined, often deep orange due to carotenoids.
Refined Bleached Deodorized — refined, bleached, deodorized. Neutral in taste, light yellow, high smoke point 235 °C.
Sterilization → Stripping → Digester → Pressing → Clarification → Drying. Kernels are processed separately into palm kernel oil.
Double screw press 50–80 bar — significantly lower than seed pressing (800–1,500 bar).
Typically 50–200 kW connection for a mobile system. Off-grid possible via PV + battery.
POME (water + solids): biogas. EFB (empty fruit bunches): compost, solid fuel. Kernels: palm kernel oil.
Project dependent. A container system for a throughput of 5-20 t FFB/h is in the seven-figure range. Specific investment planning on request.
EU imports approx. 6 million t of palm oil per year, of which > 60% is for biofuels. EUDR compliance will become the dominant factor from 2024/25.
Food-grade stainless steel 1.4301/1.4404 (s-inox) for food and cosmetic palm oil. Designed to be CIP capable.
Mobile (container): Decentralized, at the cultivation site. Stationary: centralized mill. For smallholders, containers are the only sensible option.
For a container 5-20 t FFB/h: typically 5-10 people per shift. Automation reduces further.
Use the inquiry form below or write directly to info@oelwerk.com.
FAQ-20
20 questions about self-sufficient energy containers
Off-grid processing, container configuration, economic efficiency.
Prefabricated 20 or 40 foot ISO containers with PV modules, battery storage, inverter and optional emergency generator.
Off-grid locations, mobile systems, farm locations without a grid, development projects in remote regions.
5-50 kW PV, 10-200 kWh battery. Scalable by coupling multiple containers.
Oilseed processing, palm oil processing, olive oil, avocado, energy hub, combined use.
1-2 day setup with truck delivery and connection. Can be moved mobile.
PV cleaning every 5 years. Battery lifespan 10-15 years. Inverter 10 years.
Depending on the project in the six-figure range net. Specific configuration on request.
5-50 kW PV connection covers OW presses, filters, bottling. Scalable.
Solar modules, lithium iron phosphate battery, power management, air conditioning, security electrics.
Yes — ideal for decentralized palm oil processing at the cultivation site. EUDR compliance simplified.
Prefabricated in the oelwerk factory, delivered worldwide with installation and commissioning.
Container runs autonomously. For connected pressing system 1-3 people per shift.
Depending on the project, 3–12 months.
Can be optionally combined for 24/7 security, especially in remote regions.
Yes — several containers can be coupled for higher power requirements, modular expansion.
400 V three-phase AC at the container outlet, compatible with OW presses, filters, grinding systems.
BMWi, BLE, EU ERDF and regional economic development possible. Check before ordering.
Mandatory for palm oil imports into the EU from 2024/25. Geolocation directly in the container.
Factory warranty on all major components. Extended warranty optional.
Form below or directly to info@oelwerk.com.
Energy flow
Self-sufficient container - energy from 3 sources
Solar, battery and vegetable oil generator combined in one ISO container. Off-grid and location-independent.
Request advice
Answer within 24 hours from a German-speaking engineer.
Describe your location and energy requirements — we will respond with configuration and cost estimates.