Solar filling station: Solar carports as a further step for the growing charging station infrastructure

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Published on: July 1, 2021 / Updated on: July 1, 2021 – Author: Konrad Wolfenstein

Solar carport as a solar filling station – Image: Xpert.Digital & Rudmer Zwerver|Shutterstock.com

Solar carport development and potential

In light of the EU's zero-emissions policy, rising diesel and gasoline prices, and the increasing number of electric vehicles with the associated shortage of charging stations and charging points, the next few years will not only see a completely different driving and vehicle landscape, but also a radical shift in refueling and charging behavior. Refueling and charging will no longer be concentrated on centralized solar charging stations ; instead, they will be distributed throughout the region. Charging points and charging stations will be installed wherever parking is available.

An interesting new market with great potential is emerging for solar installers, driven primarily by political initiatives. The goal is not simply to continue using electricity from the wall socket, but rather to generate it locally using photovoltaic technology, primarily through the solar carport concept in open parking areas. These are not public parking spaces; open parking areas typically include both covered and uncovered parking spaces.

Not long ago, typical solar panels primarily in demand for pitched roofs on houses or flat roofs on production and industrial buildings. Solar parks and solar fields also enjoyed widespread acceptance. In a survey, 62% of respondents stated that they would prefer a solar park as a power generation facility in their neighborhood to, for example, a nuclear power plant. Only 5% expressed a preference for nuclear energy.

With the rise of electromobility and the lack of charging infrastructure, the idea of solar carports in open parking lots .

Solar carports as a further step for the growing charging station infrastructure

In a survey, experts from the e-mobility industry confirmed with over 70% that the expansion of the charging station network has a strong influence on the market for electric vehicles. Another 22% believe it is at least having an impact on the EV market.

In comparison, the number of street filling stations has decreased over the past ten years. The number fell continuously from 14,410 in 2010 to 14,089 in 2020. The number of charging points in Germany developed in the opposite direction; from 2012 to 2021 the number increased almost tenfold. With the increasing number of electric cars, the number of charging stations will continue to grow in the future.

While a charging station consists of one or more charging points, the difference to a charging point is that only one electric vehicle can be charged at a charging point at a time. A charging station can therefore consist of one or more charging points.

In addition to wallboxes, charging stations are part of the charging points. There are currently over 39,500 charging points in total (as of February 2021).

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39,500 charging points compared to 14,000 gas stations only looks impressive at first glance. However, the reality is that gas stations can refuel or charge far more vehicles simultaneously, and much faster. Estimates suggest that electric vehicle charging stations currently only offer about 10% of the charging capacity of gas stations. The patchy charging infrastructure further exacerbates the problem. This is especially true considering that the proportion of electric vehicles in daily traffic is still significantly lower. The issue will only worsen as the number of electric vehicles grows in the coming years, which is expected to happen.

Consent to electricity generation in the neighborhood in Germany

Solar parks are the most popular electricity generation systems – Image: Xpert.Digital

62% – solar farms
60% – Renewable energy systems in general
47% – wind turbine
32% – biogas plant
22% – Electricity pylons of an overland power line
15% – gas power plant
5% – nuclear power plant
4% – coal-fired power plant

How is the development of new charging stations in Germany?

Number of new charging stations in Germany from 2010 to 2021 – Image: Xpert.Digital

2010 – 89 charging stations
2011 – 254 charging stations
2012 – 153 charging stations
2013 – 144 charging stations
2014 – 315 charging stations
2015 – 620 charging stations
2016 – 1,174 charging stations
2017 – 2,040 charging stations
2018 – 4,107 charging stations
2019 – 5,019 charging stations
2020 – 4,530 charging stations
2021 – 1,146 charging stations (January to April)

People in Germany who are planning to modernize or purchase a new solar system (photovoltaic system) according to their living situation in comparison with the population

People with planned modernization of a solar system depending on their living situation - Image: Xpert.Digital

Population

36.8% – Live in their own house
7.4% – Live in your own condominium
55.8% – Live as a rent/sublet

People who are definitely/maybe planning to modernize their solar system/photovoltaics

71.1% – Live in their own house
6.3% – Live in your own condominium
22.6% – Live for rent/sublet

That's why Xpert.Solar offers solar carport consulting and planning as a further step towards the growing charging station infrastructure

Konrad Wolfenstein

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Xpert.Digital – Konrad Wolfenstein

Xpert.Digital is a hub for industry with a focus on digitalization, mechanical engineering, logistics/intralogistics and photovoltaics.

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