Unlike a regular car, electric cars don’t produce any emissions. Which is why they are cleaner and greener for the planet. In over a year, just one electric car on the road can save an average 1.5 million grams of CO2. So there is no surprise why the UK are banning the sale of new petrol and diesel cars in 2030, hoping for an all electric UK.
One in four UK households intend to buy an electric car in the next five years. Despite this figure, Ofgem research indicates that 36% of households are worried about having nowhere to charge their electric vehicle close to home. Although more places to charge your EV are popping up across the UK, none are more convenient than a home charging point, installed at your front door.
With no tailpipe, Research by the European Energy Agency found that, even with ev charging, the carbon emissions of an electric car are around 17 – 30% lower to that of a petrol or diesel car. The emissions from ev charging can also be cleaner, when a low carbon electricity source is used. Such as Solar PV Panels.
Charge your Electric Car with Solar Energy
Investing in an electric or plug-in hybrid car, is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint and even save money. But what if we told you, you could do more?
By installing a domestic Solar PV System, alongside a Solar compatible EV Charger, you can charge your electric vehicle completely off of sunshine. Making Solar Panels and Electric Vehicles a match made in eco-heaven. And this is how.
How Does Solar Panel Charging Work
If you are at home during the day, you can charge your electric car directly from your Solar Panel system. As and when it generates solar energy. However, if you are like most electric car owners and wish to charge your EV overnight, then a solar battery is a worth while investment. With a battery storage system, you will be able to charge your EV during the night, from solar energy that your battery has stored throughout the day. This is because a solar battery is able to store any excess solar energy from your solar panels to be used when your appliances, including your EV demand it.
Solar panels generate electricity from UV lighting even in snowy conditions, absorbing packets of photons.
The Inverter changes the current from DC to AC, so that it can be domestically used.
Any surplus AC energy, that is not in demand is stored in your battery system for later use.
The Consumer Unit Board controls the distribution of green energy.
This energy is then used to power your home and charger your electric vehicle when needed.
Your Import Meter then accredits any unused Energy, to and from the Grid.
The grid can store and distribute your surplus energy. With a Smart Export Tariff you can earn further savings by selling your solar energy to the grid.
The Pros of Using Solar Panels To Charge Your EV
- Drive Off Sunshine. Although Electric cars are more eco-friendly in comparison to petrol or diesel, by charging your car off of solar energy you'll be driving more greener than ever. Cutting down on your carbon footprint.
- Savings. Electricity, although cheaper than traditional fuels, is still an expense that when installing an EV Charger is added to your every day electricity bill. By installing Solar Panels and charging your car from the surplus energy, you will be effectively charging your car for free. What's more, through apps such as Co Charger, you can rent out your Solar EV Charger to other drivers, and earn money too!
- Convienant Charging. There is no disputing that charging your car, whilst you sit at home with a cup of tea is the most convienant stress free way to charge.
- Flexibility. With most Solar EV Chargers you can choose whether you want to charge directly from the National Grid or from your Solar PV. You can also prioritise your battery storage or immersion diverter instead.
- Property Value. With around 213,000 electric vehicles now registered in the UK, according to SMMT, adding a charging point to your home is a desirable addition to any EV owner looking to move properties. And even more so with the added benefit of free solar charging.
The Cons of Solar Charging
- Initial Costs. The cost of purchasing an electric vehicle and installing solar panels to charge it, won't be affordable to everyone. However, with New Government schemes such as the OLEV Grant being introduced yearly, and there also being affordable Solar Finance options, the stretch still may be possible for some.
- Reliability. To charge your car from Solar Energy, will rely on you generating enough surplus energy to do so. It is important that your Solar PV System is designed taking into consideration charging an EV. Get in touch with the design team here at Deege Solar, to make sure your Solar Panel System matches your energy requirements.
Solar Compatible EV Chargers
myenergi Zappi
myenergi are often considered the leaders in solar charging. The Zappi Smart solar charger comes with three charging modes, giving you more charging flexibility.
The Zappi’s eco mode allows you to use energy from a Solar PV or wind system, as well as pulling energy from the mains supply if needed. The Eco+ mode, goes one step further and will only charge your vehicle when surplus solar or wind energy is available. Lastly, the Zappi’s Fast Mode. Which as the name suggests uses the chargers full 7KW, 32A capacity as a regular electric car charger would directly from mains power.
The Zappi chargers can be installed under the OLEV grant scheme where an accredited installer is used, such as yours truly Deege Solar. You can get the Zappi home charging point installed by Deege Solar at £1250. This cost can be significantly reduced by taking advantage of the OLEV grant. Which can take up to £350 of the total cost.
Other Key Zappi Features:
- Compatible with all plug-in vehicles, the Zappi is available with both type 1 and type 2 EV charger connectors. It is also available both tethered or untethered.
- Works seamlessly with solar PV, or any other form of microgeneration, and battery storage. The Zappi’s software allows you to set a priority for your battery storage or hot water diversion systems.
- The myenergi app, shows you in real time how much solar energy you are consuming, and how much energy you are taking from the grid.
- Through the myenergi app, you can also schedule charging according to off-peak period, and dynamic tariffs such as Octopus Energy.
- The Zappi EV charger has built-in earthing protection, making for a clean and simple install.
SolarEdge 2 in 1 EV Charger Inverter
SolarEdge are one of the world’s leading solar brands, now with a world leading solar charger.
SolarEdge’s EV charging single phase inverter enables homeowners to charge their electric vehicles directly from the sun’s energy. With the SolarEdge 2 in 1, you get an inverter for your PV System, as well as an EV Charger together in a single device. This 2 in 1 system means that installations are quicker and more affordable. Only costing around £500 more than a standard SolarEdge inverter!
Other Key Features:
- Simple Integration with the SolarEdge monitoring platform.
- This Solar compatible charger, can also charge EVs up to 2.5 times faster than a standard EV charger, through its ability to use both power from the grid and your PV System simultaneously.
- EV Charging can be activated remotely and scheduled. This way you can take advantage of off-peak hours where electricity cost are low.
- Available in 3.68-6kW sizes, type 1 and 2 cables in 4.6 or 7.6m lengths.
- Suitable for indoor and outdoor installation.
- Is Grant Fundable, if you are eligible for the £350 OLEV grant.
Solar Charging
Using Solar Panels For Car Charging, is a smart green solution that we expect many household across the UK to take. If you are a homeowner in the UK and Solar Charging interests you, get in touch today on 01322 479369. Together alongside our team of Solar Experts here at Deege Solar, we can design the perfect energy solution for your household. To get an inside look and feel into a Solar PV system capable of solar charging, check out our Youtube video where we take a tour of Managing Director’s David Norman’s home solar setup.
