With Australia’s share of electric vehicles, or EVs, continuing to increase and more private rooftop solar power systems in use than ever before, it is natural that energy-conscious homeowners are starting to look at how these two technologies can work together.
The transport sector is Australia’s third-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, and these emissions have been increasing faster than any other sector.
The large-scale uptake of EVs can clearly make a significant impact.
EVs are a cleaner option for the environment, even when powered fully by energy from the grid.
Using solar power to charge EV batteries is an even greater improvement and can help homeowners reduce reliance on traditional energy sources.
One of the challenges that must be addressed for large-scale EV adoption in Australia is the need for widespread charging infrastructure.
A collaboration between CSIRO, Nissan Australia, and Delta Electronics, with funding from the Victorian Government, is trialling a renewable energy system in Victoria.
The system links solar photovoltaic, or PV, panels, batteries, and smart charging technology.
According to CSIRO, this creates a solar-powered EV charging system that can use renewable energy to charge a vehicle at any time of day and in different weather conditions, while placing minimal impact on the electricity grid.
CSIRO researchers developed and tested the system and implemented the thermal management controls.
Three solar charging modules have been installed at Nissan Headquarters in Dandenong, with each module capable of charging four vehicles at a time.
The modules will be evaluated over 200 days, including the peak summer period, before the project partners determine the next steps for this technology.
As owners of private solar power systems understand, meaningful change in renewable energy adoption often begins at home.
Just as it is possible to install solar panels and a storage battery at home, it is also possible to use your solar power system to charge your EV.
The simplest way to charge your EV is to plug it in at home during the day while the sun is shining and solar energy is being generated.
If the capacity of your home solar power system is greater than the charging input required by your EV, no additional energy from the grid may be needed.
Grid power can still be used to make up any shortfall, which can be useful on cloudy days or during periods when household energy usage is particularly high.
The amount of energy used to power an EV over a certain distance is known as kilowatt-hours per kilometre, or kWh per km.
This rate varies between EV models, although on average, many EVs can achieve around 6 km of range from 1 kWh of energy in their battery pack.
An average Australian driver is said to drive around 50 km per day, which would require approximately 8 kWh of electricity.
Solar power system owners could offset the charging needs of an EV driven 50 km per day by installing an additional 2 kW of solar panels, which is roughly around eight panels depending on the panel size.
In reality, most energy-conscious EV owners will charge their vehicles primarily at home for everyday driving needs.
However, they may still rely on external charging facilities from time to time when driving longer distances.
There are three different levels of EV chargers currently available, with Level 1 being the slowest and Level 3 being the fastest.
Level 1 charging uses a standard power point and charges an EV battery pack at the slowest commonly available rate.
On average, Level 1 chargers can add around 20 km of range per hour of charging time.
This means charging an EV for 24 hours using a Level 1 charger could add around 480 km of range.
Level 2 charging is achieved by installing a specialised EV charger.
These chargers are around twice as powerful as basic Level 1 chargers and can add approximately 40 km of range in an hour.
Over 24 hours, this could add approximately 960 km of range.
The cost of installing a Level 2 charger at home can vary, but has been trending downwards in recent years.
Most of the cost is usually the hardware itself, which can range from around $1,000 to $2,500.
Level 3 charging refers to rapid EV charging using specialised public chargers, such as Tesla Superchargers.
These high-powered chargers are capable of adding around 400 km of range per hour of charging.
Level 3 chargers are ideal for drivers travelling longer distances than usual.
However, users should be aware of where public Level 3 chargers are located, as the network is not yet widely distributed throughout Australia.
Smart Energy Answers has played a key role in the development and testing of the SolarEdge inverter with built-in EV charging.
This unit comes with all the features of standard SolarEdge inverters, as well as a powerful EV charging feature, making it ideal for current and future EV owners.
The device is plug and play, easy to use, and quick to charge.
It also includes a monitoring app that provides instant and accurate system information.
The inverter is available in 3 kW and 5 kW single-phase versions.
It can also be combined with one or two standard SolarEdge inverters to integrate with larger solar systems.
Buyers are protected with an impressive 12-year warranty on the inverter and charger, as well as a 25-year warranty on the individual power optimisers installed under each panel.
If you are interested in a quote for this unique solar EV charging solution offered by Smart Energy Answers, contact our team today.
Our energy experts can help assess your home, solar system, and EV charging needs to recommend the right solution for you.
