E-houses: A Guide to Modular Power Distribution Centres

Remote locations are the preferred option and the most common application of new e-houses. These remote locations are within the business property. E-houses are also commonly installed when renewable energy projects are about to start but the existing electrical room is inadequate for the installation and a new space is required.

How Big Are E-houses?

When it comes to the sizing of an e-house, there are 3 factors to be considered:

1. Square Footage: we offer e-houses starting from compact 40-foot containers, ideal for smaller applications. However, for more extensive projects, we have experience building e-houses as large as 800 square feet.
2. Capacity: It determines the amount of power the e-house can manage and distribute. This could range from supporting a single solar panel to handling 10,000. It’s important to note that as capacity requirements increase, the e-house may need additional controls and monitoring systems, which can influence its overall footage.
3. Land required: The available land footprint is the final piece of the puzzle. Unlike traditional substations that may require specific land sizing, our custom-built e-houses are designed for the use of whatever space is available on your property. Even in locations with limited space, an e-house can be designed to fit perfectly.

Benefits of E-Houses And Differences with Substations

When considering an e-house for your business, there are more benefits beyond simply having all your energy equipment housed in one location. E-houses offer a range of benefits that can improve operational efficiency, reduce costs, and provide flexibility that traditional substations cannot match. These are some of the benefits that set e-houses apart from conventional substations:

1. Financial benefits: Installing an E-house is typically cheaper than renovating or expanding existing spaces within a building to accommodate new energy infrastructure. E-houses are modular by design, which means they can be produced with standardized components even when they are custom-built to your specific requirements. This modularity not only reduces material and labour costs but also accelerates the construction timeline, leading to faster deployment.
2. Footprint and sustainability: Compared to similar-sized spaces inside buildings, e-houses are controlled environments. Their modular construction minimizes material and resource waste during production. Additionally, e-houses can be designed with sustainability in mind, incorporating features that reduce environmental impact, such as energy-efficient insulation and renewable energy integration. 
3. Remote controlling: E-houses are equipped with monitoring and control systems that allow operators to manage the equipment remotely, regardless of how far the e-house is from the main site.

Even if we consider these benefits, it’s common to think e-houses are the same thing as substations and vice versa if you are not used to both storages. However, they are different in more ways than just the name. 

One of the biggest differences is that regular substations are built usually with concrete and fixed in place. As mentioned before, e-houses can be mobile or easily moved to a different even if they aren’t installed in trailers. On the other hand, most substations are built for medium and high-voltage control equipment, while e-houses can be used for medium and low-voltage equipment. At Anvil Crawler, our e-houses are built for low-voltage equipment and control.

What If I Want To Install An E-house? 

E-Houses aren’t a one-size-fits-all solution; they are custom-built to fit the available land, desired capacity, specific weather, and unique project requirements as mentioned above. If you need a flexible power distribution center for a complex site, an e-house can be built to fit your precise needs.