So, what is the Electric Revolution?
Well, it’s already underway and it’s having a domino effect through every corner of the global economy.
THE ELECTRIC REVOLUTION
Harness the Power of Nature
Over the last 70 years or so, various technologies have been developed to allow active solar collection. Meaning, we can improve the process, store the energy or convert it into other forms. Solar panels are the most common form of active solar collection; they absorb solar energy and convert it into electricity.
In line with this, automotive electrification has positively disrupted the industry (since it last did so in the early 19th century before the oil industry became king)! From the highly successful EVs Nissan Leaf to the Tesla Model S, newly introduced Jaguar, Audi, Mercedes and BMW EV variations, or on the horizon, the likes of new startups Lucid Motors, Faraday Future or Fisker, this is indeed an exciting era of innovation that we face! Not only are we able to reap up the benefits of a futuristic automobile, with its snazzy technology and aesthetically pleasing appeal, but also, we start to look at the more economical benefits it brings. With little servicing and maintenance required, enticing tax benefits as well as a massively reduced fuel bill, EVs are undoubtedly a wise choice. Furthermore, and perhaps the most precious benefit of all; you are heading down the sustainable route of creating a greener environment.
One of the biggest objections that a consumer has before or even after making the transition to an EV, is the charging infrastructure. But now that there’s over sixteen thousand connectors across over five thousand locations in the UK, with more and more being installed every month, EV charging has become much simpler. Service stations, hotels, golf clubs and shopping centres have all adopted this technology and a desire to fulfil their duty in helping us reach a greener environment.
However, in the rat race to get the global industry on the same page by launching new EVs, creating more charging infrastructure, enhancing technology further, we must remember the essential reason why we started this electric revolution in the first place. One of the biggest arguments we can raise is although EVs have a great potential to reduce carbon emissions, it is important to realise this potential is heavily dependent on the type of electricity that charges you battery. Electric cars are as green as their juice…
Due to the fact that power generation is mostly grid-tied, WHERE a car is charged plays a vital role in determining its carbon emissions. Using electricity that is generated from the grid is arguably much less impactful than putting fuel into your car, however, it is still adding to your carbon footprint. Thus, visiting a charging station could be contradictory to your end goal. Furthermore, as EVs are forecasted to rise exponentially over the next few years, the correct implementation of infrastructure is key,
not just for charging but for Grid balancing too. Solisco Solar EV-Port Systems can cater for this dilemma as the PV power generated during peak hours is stored in the EV’s batteries, rather than being fed in to the Grid. Our EV-Ports are integrated with back end systems that are equipped to do just that, offering a balanced solution to power our cars with renewable energy whilst simultaneously, helping to balance the grid.
A win-win situation.
So, where does 90% of charging your EV actually occur? It’s usually one of the two places; 1) where you’re charging your own batteries, i.e. your home, or 2) where you're using up your own batteries, i.e. at work! These are the most convenient charging stations and this is fundamental for a few reasons;
You have complete control over...
Where your car charger is installed
When you’d like to program your car to charge
And most importantly, what form of energy you are using to charge your car
Savings & Mileage Calculators
Environmentally Sound, Economically Wise!
Our calculators will give you a good indication of the economics of a solar PV supported EV charging solution.
By selecting your geographic location in the UK, the output of the PV system you are considering (this will depend on the size of EV-Port you select, see our configurator) and the unit cost of the electricity, you will get a realistic estimate of the annual earnings & savings and the payback over 20 years. The EV-Port won’t pay for itself but besides contributing to a more sustainable future you will also see some real financial benefits.
The savings become even more significant if you take the fuel costs of a traditional Internal combustion engine into account.
The figures of our solar mileage calculator show that the combination of a solar PV system with the replacement of your fossil fuel burning car with an EV become economically very attractive!
Savings and Payback Calculator
Annual
Output
Feed In
Earnings (FIT)
Export
Earnings
Savings on
Electricity Bill
Total Payback
Per Year
Total Payback
Over 20 Years
Solar Miles Calculator
Solar Miles
Per Year
Fuel
Savings
* Figures based on: Feed In Tariff(FIT): 4.11p, Export Tariff: 4.91p. Self consumption 50% without storage battery and 80% with storage battery. Photovoltaic Performance Estimation based on MCS Guide Tables.
