Transportable, Pre-Assembled Solar System Debuts In San Jose EV-Charging Test
A new "transportable" solar EV charging station is being tested in the Northern California city of San Jose - and no, you can't tow it behind your Tesla or other electric vehicle for constant charging and unlimited range.
One of the city's plug-in Prius conversions using SunPods' solar EV charging system at temporary location in San Jose.
----------
It needs a grid-connected electrical hookup.
That said, the SP-300 "Plug-N-Go" EV charger is, according to manufacturer SunPods Inc., the world's first modular, integrated solar power system that can be pre-assembled at the factory and dropped off at your site, ready to go except for that electrical hookup.
It is an effort to move EV charging off the grid (as much as possible), SunPods co-founder and president Dan Jaeger said. "It just didn't make sense for us to power electric cars with electricity produced by burning coal and other carbon-based fuels."
The charging station does need a hookup to the grid, though, to supply power for the inverter that makes it possible to send excess solar electricity back into the grid, and to draw power from the grid for charging when the sun doesn't shine.
It also requires a 10-by-20-foot installation space for each of its $12,500, 12-panel, 2.4 kilowatt modules.
SunPods also makes transportable solar power systems for industrial and agricultural use.
Like the others, the company's EV charging system system also can be configured to store solar energy in a battery storage system for use in a so-called Smart Grid system at times of peak demand, Jaeger said.
The test in San Jose began early last month and, once a more permanent location is found, is scheduled to run indefinitely, Jaeger told Green Car Advisor.
San Jose is next door to EV maker Tesla Motors' facility and has a relatively high number of electric cars - private and municipally operated - on its roads.
The city is part of a Bay Area coalition of cities that have vowed to promote installation of an EV-charging infrastructure to facilitate use of electric vehicles.
John O'Dell, Senior Editor
- Posted by
- John O'Dell October 13, 2009, 9:55 AM
- Permalink
- Categories:
- Plug-ins and Electric, Solar
- Technorati Tags:
- EV Charger, EVs, Plug In Hybrids, Solar EV Charging Stations, SunPods
My suggestion:
Jack that bad boy up about 8 feet and park under it. Solves the extra space needed problem and will help keep the car cooler requiring less A/C when it starts up.