Hopefully in the near a future majority of vehicles will be powered by electricity. Not only will these vehicles prove to be inexpensive to fuel, but will also ensure a healthier environment. However, this move towards cleaner highways will burden the grid, which is also striving to get those extra watts without polluting the environment. Several companies have sought a green approach to cater the problem, which comes in the form of charging stations that are fueled by abundant solar energy. Here are 10 such charging stations that won’t burden the grid to make you commute without emissions:
• Evergreen Solar’s Solar Fuel Station:
Evergreen Solar has installed its new solar charging station in a high-traffic area in Frankfurt, Germany. The solar “fuel” station provides free battery charging for small-scale electric vehicles including Velotaxis, Segways, electric bikes and scooters.
• Solar Plug-In Car Station:
Designed by Tom Miller, the Solar Plug-in Car Station project aims to minimize the impact of EVs on the environment by providing solar recharging stations at convenient locations. The design has a standard kit of parts that can easily be installed and incentivized with discounted parking. The control unit is cellular based and uses open source software to connect with customers easily integrating social networks.
• Beautiful Earth Group solar EV Charger:
New York-based Beautiful Earth Group has launched a solar-powered electric vehicle charging station in Red Hook, Brooklyn, which is powered entirely by a 235W photovoltaic system. The off-grid modular station is constructed of recycled shipping containers and can charge a range of plug-in electric vehicles including the BMW Mini E, which has a range of 100 miles and takes about 3 hours to charge.
• Toyota Industries’ solar-powered EV charging stations:
Toyota Industries Corp. has developed a new charging station for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles that is powered by solar energy. The municipal government of Toyota City has adopted the stations and plans to build 21 stations at 11 places. The charging station produces 1.9KW of solar power, which is stored in an 8.4KWh battery pack.
• Romag’s PowerPark:
The PowerPark by Romag is a carport that features a photovoltaic roof which generates solar energy for electric vehicles parked underneath. The company claims that each canopy is rated at 1.5KWp, and can generate a whopping 1100KWh per year, which could recharge a huge number of cars with green energy.
• Geotectura’s Green Gasoline Station:
Design firm Geotectura designed the Green Gasoline Station, which is both green and trendy. This unique station will harvest renewable energy and will feature recharge poles for next generation of electric vehicles.
• E-Move Charging Station:
Designed by Michael Scherer from Brixen, the E-Move Charging Station is equipped with eight mono-crystalline photovoltaic modules, which collectively supply 1.76KWp of solar power. With further refinements, the designers are hoping to generate about 2000KWh of electricity from the panels over the year.
• Envision Solar’s Solar Groves:
Envision Solar has developed the Solar Groves, which can be installed in parking lots over the world to generate electricity not only for nighttime illumination but also charge electric vehicles using clean energy. The tree-like structures make use of highly efficient PV modules and convert parking lots from an eyesore to a next-gen farm where green energy can easily be accessed.
• Energy Forest:
The Energy Forest is the brainchild of industrial designer Jaewon Sim, which has been designed as a self-sufficient forest generating solar and wind electricity to facilitate the grid and charge electric vehicles.
• Evoasis’ Solar Charging Station:
Evoasis has announced its intention to transform forsaken gas stations in London to slick new high-speed electric vehicle recharging stations that generate renewable electricity using a rooftop array of solar panels. Recharge times for electric cars will be approximately 20 minutes and, in the case of the first station, will include 12 charging spots. They will include a lounge that will sell food and drink to the waiting customers. This first of six such stations will go up on Grosvenor Road.
