13 spot Plainville, CT solar carport
Plainville, Connecticut, a town with less than 20,000 residence, has made a name for itself with the installation of a solar powered EV car port right in the middle of town. The carport uses a Level 2 GE Charging Station, with the ability of handling 13 cars at once. This was unveiled by state Governor Dannel Malloy and CEO of GE Energy Industrial Solutions Luis Ramirez. GE and Inovateus Solar worked together to install the location. According to Ranirez, this location will produce 125 Megawatts via 100 kW DC power per year. The system is connected to the grid, so when unused power is generated it can still be used. The cars are not directly powered by the sun, but the power from the solar panels is in the grid. Much like buying wind-power credits.
Governor Malloy stated, "This exciting project will be a blueprint for people all around the country who are interested in developing this type of green solar charging technology, linking renewable energy with electric vehicles and making our lives cleaner and greener. I'm excited to witness the future of this project, and I'm energized about the innovative projects GE is undertaking in our state."
At the moment the charging time is free, as with many charging stations. Some companies offer a monthly subscription fee, $5-$20, to guarantee charging points around whatever location the user needs. Like most green tech, the costs are highly subsidized. Where as a single home-based solar carport sound run in the excess of $40,000 USD. The concept for public installations is to make a statement, then later, make a profit.
Eavesdropper