Solar Charging Stations for Electric Vehicles (EV’s)

Solar charging stations for electric vehicles (EV’s)

The combination of solar energy and electric vehicle (EV) charging is the key in drastically reducing our dependence on fossil fuels. Electricity comes from a variety of sources and it’s crucial that electric vehicles will be powered by renewables. Electric cars are becoming immensely popular and coming years we expect nearly anyone who owns a solar energy system will install a solar charging station at its home. For this to happen we’ll need a fundamental change in how we think about refueling our cars and a natural evolution of our energy infrastructure.

What is the change in thinking that we need?

Most people believe we need to be able to charge our plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV)  within 2-4 minutes, similar to pulling over at a gas station and filling up your car with gas. Even though Tesla’s super chargers are trying to do exactly that, electric charging is going to be different from what people are used to. From now on most people will charge their electric cars with their home solar charging station while they sleep or while they’re at work. Solar charging stations will be used for "topping off” an electric car, giving the owner enough battery charge to return home where she can fully recharge the EV. 

Fact: Just 10 solar panels should provide roughly enough electricity to power 21,000 kilometers of electric driving each year. How’s that?

solar energy charging for electric vehiclessolar energy charging for electric vehicles

On-Grid solar charging stations

A grid-tied solar energy system is the most straight forward way to charge your electric car with solar energy.  A grid-tied solar energy system will feed the power to the grid, regardless of whether your home needs the power at that moment or not. So when your solar energy system is feeding to the grid, and you are at your office, the electric power generated at home is sold to the utility company. You’ll get that power back from the utility company in the form of a credit. When you come back from work and park your car at home, you can use that credit to re-charge your car at home.

A conventional electric vehicle charger that is connected to the grid “will almost always be cheaper” than an Off-Grid charger that stores the power in batteries.

Off-Grid Solar charging station

An Off-Grid electrical car charger can also be named "Electric Vehicle Autonomous Renewable Charger" There’s no connection to local utilities required. The solar panel array will feed the battery energy storage system and the entire power needs are drawn from this storage system. Off-grid electrical car chargers can be placed virtually anywhere, as there’s no need for a connection to the electrical grid. The independent solar array canopy catches quite some wind, and for that reason a solid foundation is required. Some off-grid solar energy chargers have a heavy steel base plate that functions as ballast. Those are extremely easy and quick to install, as no foundation or digging is required.

Most electric car owners will completely charge their EV batteries at night at their homes. Therefore for most solar charging stations, the objective is not to fully charge an electric car, but to allow several cars to “top off” their batteries.


Components needed for a solar charging station

  1. EV charger
  2. Solar panel array, installed on roof, ground or canopy
  3. Battery energy storage system (ESS, in case of an Off-Grid Solar energy charging station)
  4. Solid foundation, in case of a stand-alone solar charging canopy (Often used: a steel base plate that functions as ballast, so no foundation is required, simplifying the installation).
  5. Intelligent software

Conclusion

If you are still driving a conventional car using 100 years old technology (gas), sell that thing and be part of the future with an EV! As you know electricity comes from a variety of sources, including dirty fossil fuels, and now is the time to push for renewables to take its place. Solar charging stations for home and commercial use will play a major role in powering electric vehicles with renewable energy.

Hemant Vijay pol
By

Hemant Vijay pol

on 19 Aug 2018

Want to setup ev charging station in india

VINEET Vasa
By

VINEET Vasa

on 29 Dec 2017

I want to by CIGS Panels for my Client i had approach NANOSOLARS is it ok

Dricus
By

Dricus

on 07 Jan 2018

If you're looking for semi flex / lightweight, there are now much better solutions on the market than CIGS. Nearly all CIGS companies are either out of business or in dormant state. As an alternative I would recommend reliable IBC (Sunpower cells) laminated with a polymer (Teflon) or thin checmically strengthened glass as front sheet, and POE encapsulant (better than EVA). This configuration has many advantages above CIGS: 1. Weight can be similar (about 6kg /m2) 2. IBC = zero LID (Light Induced Degradation), while CIGS easily drops 20% in performance in the first weeks / months 3. IBC is widely used, you can read a lot about the reliability. While CIGS isn't going mainstream and very few factories can produce in large qty.Our team can assist you with the Supply Chain Management of light weight IBC modules, feel free to reach at contact [ad] sinovoltaics.com

Edgar Gerber
By

Edgar Gerber

on 22 Apr 2019

Looking for a supplier of: Solar Energy Recharge Stations for Electric Vehicles for PERU.

Vincent
By

Vincent

on 29 Jun 2020

Have you gotten? I am also looking out for, let me know how the quality of what you may have gotten serves you. Thanks

El -Sadig Elhassan
By

El -Sadig Elhassan

on 01 Apr 2022

Hi I would like to get more information regarding EV charging stations based on off grid solar system .

Crris G Thompson
By

Crris G Thompson

on 15 Sep 2016

The idea of "topping off" isfine at present, yet the need for a type 2 charging station for long range travel is needed to accommodate the future

don thomson
By

don thomson

on 20 Apr 2022

if it go's DC to AC back to DC its not for ME has to be DC to DC from solar panel to converter AC is called TO DIRTY DC from charger IS NOT ON

Sandro
By

Sandro

on 02 Jun 2022

Hello, What is the best solar Roof deck system for a car charging Station on Commercial Building lot

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