The Benefits of Coupling EVs and Solar Power
Solar Power and Electric Vehicles are the perfect match. While there are plenty of reasons to install a solar system and Batteries in your home. Lower utility bills and financial returns are major incentives. But that’s not all. With solar, you don’t have to worry about nasty storms. A good-quality solar panel will work despite heavy rain, hail, wind, and snow. Most importantly, switching to solar will significantly reduce your carbon footprint.
If you have an electric car, installing a solar-powered charging station will reduce your greenhouse gas emissions such as carbon dioxide and other dangerous pollutants even more. In addition to negative electric bills and no power outages even during heavy storms, you will have zero gasoline costs and a sustainable fuel source for your transportation needs.
By coupling solar power with an electric vehicle, you can ensure your home and transportation are cost-efficient and emissions-free. In this article, we explore the practicability of powering your car with solar panels on the roof of your home.
Solar Power & EVs: A Match Made In Heaven
With growing government support, greater availability of vehicles, and increasing consumer demand, the electric car market is proliferating. As consumers continue to shift from internal combustion engines to EVs, there’s a need for innovative strategies to provide sustainable electricity sources to fuel those vehicles. That’s where solar power comes into play.
Solar power in the United States has also grown substantially in recent years. According to the US Solar Market Insight 2020 report, the country’s solar industry grew 43% and installed a record 19.2 GW of capacity in 2020. The United States solar power capacity is expected to quadruple over the next 10 years.
Solar power is more affordable, accessible, and prevalent in the US than ever before. The apparent growth in solar capacity presents an opportunity to integrate the EV charging process with residential solar. Solar energy is here to stay, and we better take advantage of it in every possible way to minimize our greenhouse emissions and protect the planet.
Switching to an EV is good for the planet, but why stop there? You can have a free, sustainable fuel source for your EV in the form of a solar charging station in your home.
Charging Electric Cars with Solar Panels
But is it possible to charge your electric car with a rooftop solar? The answer’s a resounding yes! However, there are a few factors to consider when installing a solar-powered charging station for your EV. Most importantly, how much power does your EV use?
The US Department of Energy rates electric vehicles on the number of kilowatt-hours (kWh) they consume per 100 miles. For instance, the 2020 BMW i3 uses 30 kWh to cover 100 miles. You can use this figure to work out how much energy your EV uses per year. If you drive 20 miles per day:
100 miles / 20 miles =5
Daily energy consumption is 30 kWh / 5 = 6 kWh
6 kWh * 365 = 2,190 kWh (annual energy consumption)
In this example, the 2020 BMW i3 will use 2,190 kWh of energy per year. Make sure that you factor in your EV’s energy consumption when building your solar power system. Note that you can also add more solar panels to an existing PV system so that it can accommodate an electric vehicle.
Become Energy Independent
Coupling EVs and Solar Panels works great during the day when you are producing excess energy. However, you’ll still have to draw power from the grid if you want to charge your EV at night, which is not ideal. Introducing solar batteries such as Tesla Powerwall or Enphase Encharge into the mix will give you complete energy independence around the clock.
The marriage of rooftop solar and electric vehicles promises a cheaper, more efficient, and eco-friendly way of powering homes and cars. Installing a PV system specifically designed to power your electric car makes economic sense and will dramatically reduce your overall carbon emissions. Contact Go Solar Power to bring this innovative solution to your home.
