Eco Factor: Electric vehicle charging stations harness solar energy.
Brazil has already been reducing the impact of vehicular pollution on the environment. The country has 90 percent of its new cars being capable of running on ethanol or gasoline in any proportion. This time around, it might set an example for developing infrastructure for electric vehicles. Brazil has a large number of electric vehicles. The problem with vehicles that run on electricity is that the battery exhausts after about 40km. This new network of charging stations would be a boon for people owning such vehicles. Besides, it has been suggested the stations could provide an exchange facility so that the roadster will not have to wait for hours to get charged up. Rather, the owners of EVs can swap their discharged battery with a fully charged one and save all that time.
To add to it, the charging station will generate electricity from solar energy. Twenty-eight photovoltaic panels would be able to generate 184V of DC voltage by tapping the rays of the sun, generating an output of 110 or 220V. The grid system would provide electricity on cloudy days and at night. Since electric vehicles are already a hit among Brazilians, the charging stations will only increase the market as charging would become much more convenient.
The Brazilian Electric Vehicle Association claims that increasing electric vehicles would not be a strain on the country’s electricity because by 2030 electric vehicles will consume only 3-5 percent of the nation’s electricity. Simultaneously, car fuel consumption will reduce by 10 percent. Initially, the charging points will serve the symbolic purpose of “awakening environmental awareness by showing people that it is possible to use energy without harming the environment,” says spokesperson Edimar Machado. But with ample political will and incentive, this project can go a long way.
Via: EcoWorldly
