Will Solar Parking Lots Evolve to Include Electric-Car Charging Stations?

Applied Materials - a Silicon Valley manufacturer of semiconductors, LCD displays, and other high tech equipment – has just built a photovoltaic array over its company parking lots with the solar panels propped up above the cars, forming a “canopy” which provides shade for the vehicles; the 2.1 megawatt system is reportedly the largest in its class.

A parking lot that charged electric cars could play an important role in a future infrastructure where we will need charging stations in public places. If electric car drivers are to have the same freedom we have today with gasoline, charging stations will need to be everywhere. Shai Agassi wants to solve this problem by integrating thousands of new charging stations into the electric grid, which is what China seems to be doing too (see post below) . The Chevy Volt addresses the problem by providing drivers with a backup reserve of fuel. A solar parking lot would provide an off-the grid, centralized hub that could be placed anywhere sunny enough.

Source: CNET Clean tech

Comments

[catherine Widgery]

I have been working on the idea of solar shade structures that are beautiful as well as functional over the vast parking lots all over the country but especially in the Southwest. It seems this is a key to getting greater public acceptance.

The image above speaks for itself, heavy and not attractive. See the subway station at Coney Island that has beautiful arching structures with photovoltaic cells laminated to glass. This could be done in a variety of designs. That is my field, designing beautiful structures.