AMR Future Brief| EV Solar Chargers: An Innovative Solution to Decarbonize the Transportation Sector and Achieving Net Zero Emissions

The increasing focus on environmental sustainability and the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions has transformed almost every sector of the economy. Many countries that are part of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change have pledged net zero carbon emissions in the second half of this century. For instance, the US and EU countries like the UK, France, and Germany have declared their intention to achieve net zero by 2050. Net zero carbon emissions refer to a target of completely nullifying the amount of greenhouse gas emissions by implementing policies and initiatives that result in the reduction and absorption of carbon dioxide and other polluting gases.?

The goal of net zero is important as environmental studies have shown that global temperatures are set to rise by 1.5 degrees Celsius if carbon emissions aren’t reduced by 45% by 2030. Because countries like the US, China, India, European Union, and Russia account for around 60% of the total emissions globally, these countries have a big role to play if this target is to be achieved. Since the public transportation sector is one major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, these countries are proactively switching to electric vehicles to bring down the sector’s carbon footprint.?

EV solar charging technologies to reduce the carbon footprint of transportation services?

Public transportation services such as buses, taxis, trains, etc., have traditionally been run on fossil fuels like diesel, gas, and petrol. However, in the past few years, the shift toward electric vehicles has been rapid, and automobile manufacturers are now launching both passenger and commercial electric vehicles which has led to a massive expansion of the EV industry. In fact, a study has shown that electric vehicles now account for almost 20% of the entire automobile sector.?

While the shift to electric mobility has been successful in bringing down carbon emissions to some extent, the results have not been quite satisfactory. There are a number of reasons for the failure to curb carbon emissions despite the EV revolution. Firstly, the electric vehicle landscape hasn’t been growing at its fullest potential as the vehicle charging infrastructure has been inadequate; hence, people are still hesitant to shift to EVs. Secondly, and most importantly, the electricity required for powering EV charging stations is still produced using fossil fuels which negates the entire purpose of shifting to EVs.?

To solve the issue of the use of fossil fuels for powering EV charging stations, policymakers and private companies have resorted to the use of renewable energy sources. Many electric vehicle charger manufacturers have launched EV solar chargers for private and commercial cars. For instance, in May 2024, EVBox, an EV supply equipment supplier based in the Netherlands, announced the launch of EVBox Livo 2, a new generation electric vehicle charging gadget. The equipment allows car owners to charge their vehicles using electricity generated through solar power. It has an in-built EEBUS-compatible home energy management system that helps the owner optimize large energy loads and ensure energy efficiency in the long run.?

Technological advancements shaping the future of EV solar chargers?

With the rise in the adoption of EV solar chargers, several research institutes have commissioned studies to improve the quality and efficiency of solar panels that power electric vehicle charging stations. One such innovation that holds potential to transform the field of EV charging is that of microgrids and nano-grids. The development of microgrids and nano-grids helps users integrate renewable energy sources into the charging infrastructure. Thus, this technology, in a way, helps in creating small-scale power units that can either function independently or synchronously with the primary grid.?

The primary advantage of microgrid technology is that it helps people living in remote areas make use of renewable energy sources even if they aren’t directly connected to the main grid. Furthermore, the advent of vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology has opened new avenues of growth for the solar EV charging industry . V2G technology allows bidirectional charging, i.e., charging stations can not only supply electricity to the EV but also contribute extra electricity to the primary grid, thus offering charging station owners the chance to earn some revenue.??

At the same time, researchers have also developed solar tracking technologies that aid solar panels to follow the sun’s path throughout the day so as to make maximum use of the incident sunlight. Studies have shown that the use of sun-tracking technology increases the efficiency of the solar panel by around 25%, thus helping in faster charging of the vehicle. The use of artificial intelligence and machine learning has also played an important role in improving the productivity of EV solar chargers. These technologies improve the functionalities of EV solar chargers, optimize energy usage, and predict their failures well in advance, based on their working patterns.?

Summing up?

To conclude, the emergence of EV solar chargers has paved the way for making electric mobility truly sustainable and free from dependence on fossil fuels. Advancements and innovations like microgrids, V2G technology, and sun-tracking solar panels have further helped in improving the energy efficiency of these solar chargers. Thus, EV solar chargers can go a long way in decarbonizing the transportation sector in various countries and help them achieve their net-zero targets.?

For tips and suggestions on how to capitalize on the opportunities offered by EV solar charger industry,?reach out to our analysts today!??

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? **?????????????? ????????????: Akhilesh Prabhugaonkar ?

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