Solar canopies integrated into parking lots are increasingly seen across the country – you can already see them installed in many places near campuses, airports and commercial office buildings. Since the sun is a renewable resource, this eclipse reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with energy production.
The benefits of clean energy are clear: for example, an 80-acre solar array at Rutgers University in New Jersey generates 8.8 megawatts of electricity, or about $1.2 million in electricity. They are also using existing land for clean energy production, rather than conserving it for cropland, dryland and pasture.
Installing solar panels in parking lots can have other benefits. Studies show that the benefits of solar panels can be further enhanced if electric vehicles (EVs) can be charged directly in parking lots. People can harness this potential by installing electric vehicle chargers in solar tents, making charging more affordable for homeowners, and setting up small local power grids for communities. However, installation costs and other hurdles can complicate deployment.
Charging electric cars in the garage
A solar panel with 286 solar modules could generate 140 megawatt hours of energy per year to charge electric vehicles, according to a new study published in Scientific Reports . If each car is parked for one hour, that is enough to generate more than 3,000 cars per month. Charging electric vehicles this way could result in 94% fewer carbon emissions than traditional grid-based methods, the authors say.
Lynn Daniels, RMI's zero-carbon transport program manager, who was not involved in the study, said it was important to use smart technology that controls charging times and rates to maximize benefits. . Smart charging allows users to maximize energy consumption by only charging when prices drop due to low energy demand or when more renewable energy is available on the grid.
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As the number of electric vehicle owners increases rapidly, the entire power grid may be at risk. In 2022, according to a 2022 study by Applied Energy , peak electricity consumption could increase by 25% if most owners in the western United States continued to charge their electric vehicles at night. An affordable daily charge at work or at public stations can help solve this problem and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
According to a recent report by RMI, a non-profit organization dedicated to sustainability, there are opportunities to significantly reduce emissions when charging smart electric vehicles. “Our report shows that charging one million electric vehicles at the right time is equivalent to taking 20,000 to 80,000 internal combustion engine vehicles off the road,” he said. If electric vehicles account for 25% of vehicles by 2030, “smart low-emission charging” would be equivalent to eliminating an additional 5.73 million internal combustion engine vehicles.
Source of income, goodwill and more.
A solar cowl protects a vehicle from rain, snow, ice and other adverse weather conditions, said Joshua M. Pearce, whose research focuses on solar photovoltaic technology and sustainability at Western University in Australia. Canada. Due to the shade they provide, the car is not in the sun, so when starting the car, the owner needs less cooling than the air conditioner. But that's not all you can do.
A solar electric farm could give station owners the opportunity to make money if drivers pay to have their cars charged, Daniels said.
On the other hand, if big companies or retailers charge for electric vehicles for free, it could poach customers, Pearce said. He added that business owners can make more profit because buyers can spend more time and money waiting for their vehicles to pay off. Shopping malls also have a lot of potential for change: when Walmart installs 11.1 gigawatts of solar panels in 3,571 U.S. supercenter parking lots, Walmart will provide more than 346,000 solar-powered electric vehicle charging stations for the 90% of Americans who live within a 15 mile radius. . Outside the city. Stores planned by 2021.
[See: What you need to know about converting your home to solar energy]
Solar panels save energy because every year 5% of the electricity is lost between the power station and your home or office. Transmission losses can be reduced when power generated by solar panels is used directly by connected buildings or by charging electric vehicles in parking lots, Pierce said.
The widespread use of solar panels in car parks can provide an opportunity to build small local power grids. Power grids are highly vulnerable to natural disasters, deliberate physical attacks and cyberattacks. A solar system in parking lots could serve as an anchor for microgrids - local off-grid power systems that can remain operational if the main grid fails - which could make communities more resilient, "much like the US military uses solar energy to increase power.” “National strength,” Pierce said.
Re-parking logistics
Upfront capital costs are a major barrier to charging electric vehicles in solar-powered parking lots, says Pearce. He said the physical structure needs to be longer and stronger than traditional solar power plants and requires more materials like steel and concrete. EV chargers also cost money, which makes the price even higher. Commercial electric vehicle charging stations cost between $2,500 and $40,000 per connection. Installation often requires permits and approvals from local authorities or regulators, creating additional expense and a barrier to quick installation.
Solar cell design can also be a problem. “There is a trade-off between sizing solar panels to meet current EV charging needs and predicting future solar panel demand and costs,” Daniels said. “Solar panel design and placement can make a huge difference in installation complexity and project costs.”
Daniel recommends raising awareness of tax breaks and other incentives currently available, such as the B. State Solar Tax Break, which can reduce the total costs of a commercial solar system by 30%. There is a 6% tax credit (with a maximum credit of $100,000 per item) as well as business tax credits for being in a low-income community.
When it comes to new regulations, Pierce suggests policymakers start small, like: B. A solar-powered carport with EV charging capability for new surface parking lots or government parking lots. After that, requirements for other places like public universities could follow, he said.
States or localities may offer incentives in addition to federal solar tax credits. To encourage federal agencies, government agencies, businesses, and nonprofits to install solar panels to charge electric vehicles in parking lots, the Maryland Energy Authority is offering grants through the Solar Canopy and Dual-Use Technology. In 2019, one such grant enabled IKEA to install a 1.5 megawatt solar panel with an electric vehicle charging station in Baltimore.
Additionally, providing low- or zero-interest loans to small and medium-sized businesses "will help them compete with the big corporations that are now investing millions in solar systems to make a living," Pierce said. . If the federal government is to overcome a major hurdle to deploying solar panels with EV charging capabilities, reducing upfront costs will be key.
