Adding solar panels and battery storage to a charging site can cut electricity costs, reduce strain on the grid connection and let you offer cleaner charging. It works best when it is designed around how the site is actually used.
What solar adds
Rooftop or canopy solar generates electricity during the day. At sites where vehicles charge in daylight, such as workplaces, malls and fleet depots with day shifts, solar can cover part of the charging demand directly and lower your bills.
What battery storage adds
- Peak shaving: the battery supplies power during busy periods, keeping grid demand and demand charges down.
- Grid support: sites with a limited connection can offer faster charging than the grid alone would allow.
- Time shifting: store solar or off-peak grid energy and use it when it is most valuable.
- Backup: keep critical chargers running during short outages, depending on design.
When it makes sense
- High daytime charging that lines up with solar generation.
- Costly demand charges or a constrained grid connection.
- Available roof or canopy space.
- Sustainability goals that matter to your customers or tenants.
Things to plan for
Solar output varies with weather and season, so chargers still need a grid connection. Batteries add upfront cost and need to be sized carefully. The system also needs software that coordinates solar, battery, grid and chargers together.
Designing it together
PxT Energies, the company behind EVee Buddy, also provides renewable energy services. That lets us design charging, solar and storage as one system rather than three separate projects.