Powering Up: How Solar Integration is Revolutionizing EV Charging Infrastructure
“Solar can be the driving force behind the electrification of transportation and the transition to a low-carbon future.”
Integrating solar PV with the EV charging infrastructure can help accelerate the transition to clean transportation while providing numerous benefits. The unique characteristics of solar energy can enable direct EV charging and managed EV charging, improve the value proposition of vehicle electrification, and enable vehicle-to-grid charging. In addition, abundant low-cost solar can improve the economics of zero-carbon fuels, such as hydrogen. Here is a five-point strategy for integrating solar PV with the EV charging infrastructure:
- Deploy distributed solar at EV charging locations, such as on the rooftops of vehicle owners, the parking canopies of commercial fleets, or at public charging stations.
- Implement dynamic rates with lower volumetric rates during the day to incentivize EV owners to charge vehicles with midday rather than peak electricity.
- Use distributed solar to enable managed EV charging over space by incentivizing EV charging at specific locations with direct access to low-cost distributed solar.
- Enable vehicle-to-grid charging by providing a source of low-cost power to store and shift to meet grid needs.
- Deploy vehicle-mounted PV on vehicles, particularly on vehicles with large, exposed surface areas such as delivery trucks and buses, to complement batteries or engines as power sources in vehicles.
Integrating solar PV with the EV charging infrastructure is a crucial step towards decarbonizing the transportation sector. With the right policies and incentives, it is possible to accelerate the transition to clean transportation while providing numerous benefits for society and the environment.
