GE EV Solar Carport Project debuts in Connecticut
26 May 2011
The GE EV Solar Carport Project made its debut in Plainville, Connecticut. With greater than a 25-year lifespan, the EV Solar Carport will annually deliver 125 MWh via 100 kW DC power.
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GE EV Solar Carport in Plainville, CT. Click to enlarge. |
GE Energy Industrial Solutions combined forces with Inovateus Solar LLC, a national solar power distributor and integrator, to install the carport. The companies use solar energy and smart grid technology to fully charge up to 13 electric vehicles per day via six Level 2 GE EV Charging Stations and to power the overhead lighting in the parking lot.
Our objective with this project is to utilize a mix of installation formats to create a practical on-site lab to illustrate a range of design options when creating a solar system. We are excited to collaborate with GE on this important alternative energy development and education project and look forward to other future projects.
—T.J. Kanczuzewski, executive vice president of Inovateus Solar LLC
The carport incorporates GE’s infrastructure technology, utilizing GE EverGold Safety Switches and GE Combiner Boxes along with the GE EV Charging Stations. GE’s core AC equipment safely distributes the power generated from the solar panels. The GE EV Solar Carport connects to the grid, where it deposits extra energy and withdraws that energy when needed.
Inovateus Solar is a distributor and integrator of solar electric solutions. In the past six months Inovateus Solar has completed the largest solar installation in the states of Michigan and Indiana and some of the largest utility grade installations in the Midwest.
I hope they sloped the panels for rain runoff cleaning.
Posted by: SJC | 26 May 2011 at 12:11 PM
SJC - it looks like they didn't.
They should also have sloped them to the south for better light collection, but they didn't.
Perhaps solar cells have got so cheap that there is no need to anymore (or perhaps they were just lazy).
It seems harmless enough, but without any special benefits.
It is just a set of solar panels over a set of charging stations, both grid connected.
There is no reason for them to be together, except perhaps to give shade to the cars while they spend 3-8 hours charging.
This begs the question - where should you charge - in a dedicated charging zone, or where you already leave your car?
In this case, you have a dedicated charging/parking zone, where EVs have to be charged (or can be charged, quickly).
However, this is yet another chore for the EV owner.
Would it be better to provide charging points at places of work and shopping, as they do already for disabled parking spaces.
(There is no need to put the EV spaces near the entrance either).
Then, how would you decide where to put them?
A city could declare that it had N charging stations to install (or subsidize) and they would be granted wherever someone could prove that they had an electric car.
Shopping malls could be allocated a certain number, or could bid for them.
You can see it developing in one of 3 ways:
a: Batteries get better and people do not have to worry about charging points.
b: Slowly, the number of stations takes off, then EV numbers increase and then you get a critical mass and it all takes off.
c: Pure Evs fail to take off and the problem goes away.
Posted by: mahonj | 27 May 2011 at 01:31 AM
Why CT? Perhaps more Volt owners in the Northeast.g Looks like GM is going to lead the EV infrastructure as well.
With intro of Volt, Coskata, the Solar Carport, and new shifts for Hamtramck - GM's rebirth as a sleeker, more competitive car company continues.
Now to engineer the transition to more FFVs and hybrids.
Posted by: Reel$$ | 27 May 2011 at 03:43 AM
Posting here fails.
Posted by: SJC | 27 May 2011 at 08:07 AM
I have seen flat panels collect dirt, reducing output.
Posted by: SJC | 27 May 2011 at 11:41 AM
I've seen a very large international firm install similar (flat) panels, about 4 ft from ground, in the world's largest dessert. Of course the large city design engineer was not informed about blowing sand and those panels had to be cleaned almost every day. Due to long distances, this could not be done and the co-located telecommunication stations (all) stopped within a few days.
A lower ranking, but more informed technician, solved the problem by raising and inclining the panels (about 30 degrees due South). A smarter tech added another panel, one south-east and one south west for much better results and less maintenance..
Recent panels with light directing surfaces can operate in less than ideal places and direction.
Posted by: HarveyD | 27 May 2011 at 04:10 PM
At Kramer Junction in the Mojave, when wind storms come they turn the trough reflectors so the backs face the wind to protect the mirrors and tubes from sand blasting. They angle them in and trucks run down the rows giving them a shower to wash the reflectors. Future designs may have that included in the assembly for periodic washings.
Posted by: SJC | 28 May 2011 at 07:42 AM
Good idea SJC but not practical for isolated dessert mini stations.
Posted by: HarveyD | 28 May 2011 at 03:17 PM