PRGR 604 – Solar Electricity using PV Technology

Pro-green Diploma
PRGR 604 Welcome to Solar Electricity Using PV Technology

Research Paper
Solar Charging Station for Electric Vehicles

Prepared By:
Antoine Mehana
Nabih Mezher
Patrick Sfeir

Submitted to:
Dr. Dima Fares

Date:
December - 4 – 2021

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 PRGR 604 – Solar Electricity using PV Technology

Table of Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 3
Solar Charging Station Components ............................................................................................................. 4
Solar Charging Station Available Setups ...................................................................................................... 5
Location Advantages & Disadvantages ........................................................................................................ 6
EV Charging Station Sizing .......................................................................................................................... 7
What is an electrical charging station? ..................................................................................................... 7
Required Charging Steps .......................................................................................................................... 8
Step 1: EV required power output......................................................................................................... 8
Step 2: AC demand estimation............................................................................................................. 8
Step 3: Inverter Selection ...................................................................................................................... 9
Step 4: Battery Sizing ........................................................................................................................... 9
Step 5: Battery Selection ....................................................................................................................... 9
Step 6: PV panels Sizing/Selection ..................................................................................................... 10
EV Charger Interface .............................................................................................................................. 11
Summary of the Solar charging station ................................................................................................... 12
Feasibility discussion of the system ............................................................................................................ 13
Reference: ................................................................................................................................................... 15

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 PRGR 604 – Solar Electricity using PV Technology

Introduction

After exposing our planet to high levels of pollution and carbon emissions, climate
change has become one of the most important issues that our generation should be dealing with.
In our paper, we will be exploring a new technology, which is the charging of electric vehicles
(EVs) using solar powered charging stations. This technology, of using renewable energy to
power electric cars, is crucial to the prospective success of EVs since they were first created to
cut carbon emissions. Comparing EVs to fuel-based cars is very important as the world is
evolving. New regulations and goals are being put in developed countries to stop using fuel-
based vehicles and shift into a greener environment with the use of electric cars. Therefore,
Tesla, in addition to many newer EV companies have created a revolution in the transportation
sector contributing to almost cutting gas emissions while driving on the road, as well as being
cost efficient during the manufacturing process and the maintenance throughout a vehicle’s
lifetime span. Such vehicles, when comparing them with fuel-based engines, can provide the
driver with a better performance on the road, all while keeping the car quiet, therefore avoiding
noise pollution in highly dense neighborhoods.

The solar charging stations used for EVs consist of solar panels, an EV charging station,
and could have batteries that charge through the day to provide energy for EV charging during
the night. One advantage of these stations is that they can be used in any weather, preferably in
cold regions contributing to higher efficiency rates. For instance, taking the case of Lebanon,
Solar panels have proven to work smoothly throughout the year, leading to high efficiency rates.
Solar charging stations are also important nowadays on the economic level of the country since
they can ensure lower charging prices for the user if the station is public, and free energy if
installed at home. Putting in place a plan with clear goals to invest in this technology along with
the increase in the number of EVs in the country, will not only support Lebanon in its economic
crisis, but will also benefit the people cut on their energy costs as well as having a positive
impact on the environment.

Furthermore, EV users don’t have many charging stations to charge their cars. A few
years back, Medco have integrated electric charging stations into some of their gas stations,
while some users have grid powered home charging stations.

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 PRGR 604 – Solar Electricity using PV Technology

Solar Charging Station Components

In order to install a solar powered EV charging station, a range of components are

required to be able to harvest the sun’s energy and use it to charge the car’s battery. Two main
categories are available today, the first include the installation of solar PV panels on the vehicle
rooftop while the second is a fixed solar powered charging station that is installed on the ground
and includes a direct charging device to charge the car.

In the research paper the focus will be on the fixed solar power charging installation, with the
following main components:

1. Solar PV Panels: Similar to regular home installation, Solar PV panels are required to
harness the sun’s radiation and convert it into electrical energy that will be supplied to the
EV battery. The choice of the appropriate PV panels will depend on several factors such
as the location of the system, the type of EV purchased, the EV required charging time,
and if additional batteries are included or not in the design of the station.
2. DC-AC converter: The inverter will help in converting the power generated by the PV
panels and direct it directly to the EV battery voltage or into the system battery if storage
is required.
3. Battery Storage: Set of batteries that will store the energy during the day time to be used
for night charging. The size of the battery varies depending on the requirements and the
total sun availability on site location.
4. EV Charging Station: it is the piece of equipment used to transfer electric power into the
EV to charge the battery. It is also used to display the EV’s charging level as well as
other parameters.

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 PRGR 604 – Solar Electricity using PV Technology

Solar Charging Station Available Setups

Multiple possibilities are available when designing a solar powered charging station.
These designs vary according to the location of the station, and to the customer’s needs.

Design 1: Off-grid solar power station without battery storage:

This design is used directly to charge an electrical vehicle. The charging station can only
be used when the process coincides with daylight time. It’s the cheapest system among the three
listed designs since no batteries are installed. Ideally it can be installed on outdoor parking lots
near the workplaces to charge EVs during work time.

Design 2: Off-grid solar power station with battery storage.

This design is similar to the first one but with batterie storage capacity. The system is
able to store extra energy from the sun and store it in the batteries to be used later to charge the
EV. The batteries are installed when the charging process needs to be done at night with no sun
power, due to the lifestyle of the customer. Such system can be ideally installed at home to
charge the vehicle at night from the batterie storage.

Design 3: Off grid solar power station with on grid alternative.

This design has the same characteristic as the second one but in addition an inverter is
linked directly to the government grid and is used to charge the car or batteries during days
where no energy of the sun is available or the energy required to charge the vehicle exceed the
capacity of the solar charging station.

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 PRGR 604 – Solar Electricity using PV Technology

Location Advantages & Disadvantages

When designing and choosing the charging station the needs and lifestyle of the customer
as well as the place of installation play a major role in deciding on all the specification. The
Table below list the places with their advantages and disadvantages:

Location Advantages Disadvantages

Home ➢ Can be used for overnight ➢ High initial investment cost,
(personal charging. cannot be afforded by everyone.
use) ➢ Sized according to the car
capacity.
➢ Can be linked to the grid when
extra energy is available.
Workplace ➢ Charge during the working ➢ Expensive investment to supply
(employee hours. energy for a large number of
use) ➢ Can be used by multiple cars.
peoples. ➢ Difficult to install storage
➢ No need for storage system system due to high cost.
since it charging occurs only ➢ Can only be used during the
through the day. day.
Public ➢ Can be used by multiple users. ➢ Expensive investment to supply
Locations ➢ Expensive investment to supply energy for a large number of
(Parking energy for a large number of cars.
lots, Malls, cars. ➢ Difficult to install storage
…) ➢ Can be merged with the national system due to high cost
grid to supply more energy ➢ Can only be used during the
➢ Can use Vehicle-to-Grid system. day.

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 PRGR 604 – Solar Electricity using PV Technology

EV Charging Station Sizing

What is an electrical charging station?

An electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE), also called EV charger or charging station, is
the piece of equipment that charges an EV by supplying electrical power through a plug-in cable.
EV chargers are classified into 3 categories: Level 1 and Level 2, which both are AC charging
stations, and DC fast chargers (DCFC), which are also known as Level 3 charging stations.

A. AC Charging Stations:
1. Level 1 chargers are the slowest charging stations of the 3 categories. It can take
over 24 hours for an EV battery to be fully charged. The EV is connected to
directly to a standard 120 V AC outlet (mostly found in North America) and can
be supplied with an average power output of 1.3 kW to 2.4 kW. L1 charging cable
are usually included with the vehicle.
2. Level 2 chargers are typical solutions for residential or workplace settings. The
station supplies a standard AC 208/240 V with a power output between 3 kW and
19 kW. It takes on average up to 8 hours to charge an EV, but results can vary
depending on the charger and EV combination.

B. DC Fast Charging Stations:

1. DCFCs are the fastest chargers available. Due to their high cost, they are intended
for commercial or industrial locations rather than residential. They are mostly
used for long-distance travelers as the EV battery can fill up to 80% in 30-40
minutes, and 100% in 60-90 minutes. The station supplies DC 200-600 V with a
power output of 50-60 kW but can also reach 150-350 kW with the new
generations.

For our design we will be choosing the Level 2 charger as it is best suited for residential
or workplace settings.

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 PRGR 604 – Solar Electricity using PV Technology

Required Charging Steps

This procedure can be applied for any type of electrical vehicle to size a solar power
charging station with level 2 characteristics; the values will change according to the required
output to charge the car. The following steps are followed to achieve the below design:

Step 1: EV required power output.

The electrical vehicle picked for the study is a Chevrolet Bolt EV. It is a small electrical
car that is ideal for the city and small families. It is distinguished by a high driving range of up to
565 kilometers with a full charging time of 9.3 hours and a range of 80 km in less than 2 hours
with the level 2 charging, the battery capacity is 66 KWh and the selling price of 36500$.

Step 2: AC demand estimation.

The battery size is of 66 kWh and will deliver a driving range of 565 km. Taking into
account the economical factor and the driving need, the sizing can be done for a range of 280 km
per day that is 50% of the full range, hence the daily estimation demand needed will be 33 kWh
or 33000 Wh/day.

Considering a 6 hours’ time overnight charging the required hourly output is

33000 𝑊 /6 = 5500 𝑊.

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 PRGR 604 – Solar Electricity using PV Technology

Step 3: Inverter Selection

To achieve the 5500 W the inverter used is Teca Lithium Series (IIP-242000BFL) by Inti
Photovoltaics S.L that have the following characteristic:

• Max AC Power: 6000 w

• Rated voltage 240 V
• Max AC Current: 25 A
• Input DC voltage: 24V
• Efficiency: 95%
• Price: 310$

Step 4: Battery Sizing

To determine the required battery capacity the following calculation are needed:

Using an inverter efficiency of 95%

𝐷𝐶 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑 = 𝐴𝐶 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑 / 𝐼𝑛𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦 = 33000 𝑊ℎ/𝑑𝑎𝑦 / 0.95 = 34737 𝑊ℎ/𝑑𝑎𝑦.

With a 24-V system voltage the batteries need to supply load

𝐵𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝐶𝑎𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 = 34737 𝑊ℎ/𝑑𝑎𝑦 / 24 𝑉 = 1447 𝐴ℎ/𝑑𝑎𝑦

Considering the system will be charged during the day and discharged at night only to charge the
car battery, the sizing is based on a needed increase of 40% to maintain the battery life and keep
the charging and discharging range of the solar charging battery between 20% and 80% hence
the usable storage required is equal to 1447 𝐴ℎ/𝑑𝑎𝑦 ∗ 40% ∗ 1 𝑑𝑎𝑦 = 2025 𝐴ℎ

Step 5: Battery Selection

The required parameters are a 2025 Ah and 24 V system with a charging time of 6 hours. The
used battery in FS200 made by Futuresolar USA Inc with the following parameter:

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 PRGR 604 – Solar Electricity using PV Technology

• Storage Technology: Lead Acid (Gel)

• Nominal voltage: 12V
• Nominal Capacity: 170Ah@5hr discharge
• Maximum current discharge: 40A
• Price: 1250 $

Using the data to get 24V we need each string to have two batteries with a total number of string
equal to 2025/ (170 ∗ 2) = 6 string hence the total number of batteries needed is 12 batteries
to deliver the required discharge rate in 6 hours of charging.

Total cost 12 ∗ 1250 = 15000 $

Step 6: PV panels Sizing/Selection

Using the RMH60-355-380S1 panel made by Regitec Solar, the following specifications
apply:

• Maximum Power: 380 W

• Voltage at Maximum power: 34.8V
• Short Circuit Voltage: 11.69A
• Current at maximum power: 10.92A
• Efficiency 20.9%
• Price 104$

Since the system is a 24V and using a charge controller, the voltage will be regulated and each
string will only require 1 panel and will deliver, considering 5 hours of sun daily, a total of:

𝐴ℎ = 10.92 ∗ 5 ℎ/𝑑𝑎𝑦 ∗ 0.9 (𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦 𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑠𝑒𝑠) = 49 𝐴ℎ/𝑑𝑎𝑦

To deliver 2025 Ah/ day the number of parallel strings is equal to

2025 𝐴ℎ/𝑑𝑎𝑦 / 49 𝐴ℎ/𝑑𝑎𝑦 − 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 = 42 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠.

Total cost of the solar panels system will be 42* 104 = 4368 $

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 PRGR 604 – Solar Electricity using PV Technology

EV Charger Interface

As mentioned in the previous section, Level 2 chargers are the best suited for charging
the EV at home as they can fill up the battery in a few hours in contrast to Level 1 chargers.
Moreover, most EVs use the same plug for Level 2 charging: the SAE J1772 plug.

Level 2 chargers that are available on the marker come in

different power outputs. The most common supply 32, 40, or 48
Amps at 240V, which convert to 7.7kW, 9.6kW, or 11.5kW. For
our charging station, we will be using the 7.7kW charger,
specifically the JuiceBox 32 Level 2 charger.

This charger with a 7.7kW output allows for fast charging

without the need to increase the number of PV solar panels
needed. Additionally, it can be used with a mobile app for
precise measurement of power, energy, voltage and current. It
can be automated to control the charging time when the car is
plugged, hence keeping an eye on both the EV’s battery and if

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 PRGR 604 – Solar Electricity using PV Technology

we’re using back-up batteries for our Solar charging station. The enclosure of the charger is
weatherproof, dust tight, and comes with a built-in cable rack and security lock, therefore
ensuring a safe outdoor installation.

Summary of the Solar charging station

This table illustrates the components selected in the design with their types and prices.

Component Type Price

Charging station JuiceBox 32 $899
Inverter Teca Lithium Series $310
(IIP-242000BFL)
Battery FS200 made by $15,000
Futuresolar USA Inc
Charge Control SR-ML4860 by SRNE $252
Solar Co, Ltd
Solar Panels RMH60-355-380S1 $4,368
panel made by Regitec
Solar

The total charging power station cost for our design is approximately 21,000$

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 PRGR 604 – Solar Electricity using PV Technology

Feasibility discussion of the system

After providing the detailed information related to the cost of our project in terms of
equipment and installation per station; a feasibility study will be conducted showing a
comparison between the Solar Charging Station system and the conventional fuel-based system
that is still widely used all over the world. On a first basis, shifting towards a green and
sustainable economy is one of the most important challenges that is facing today’s generation.
Several factors should be taken into consideration, one of which is the use of electric vehicles as
well as the equitable distribution of electric charging stations all over the country. Definitely,
EVs are considered as one of the most promising alternatives due to their cleanness and
inexhaustibility. One of their disadvantages is being a bit more expensive than the conventional
cars since they are loaded with cutting-edge technologies such as high-capacity batteries,
sophisticated car parts among other features. In addition, these cars are of great importance on
the macroeconomic level in Lebanon, leading to cutting gas demands and aid in the stability of
the Lebanese Pound that is, positively affecting all the citizens of the country. For instance, using
solar powered charging systems has its advantages and disadvantages. For example, starting with
its pros, the system saves energy costs when pumping the excess energy produced by these
panels during the day into the grid, in return for energy credits off-grid when needed. It is also
time efficient while charging the electric vehicle during the owner’s free time at home without
travelling to the nearest charging station. Moreover, this system is completely safe to install at
home, without causing any harm or danger to the households due to gasoline or hazardous odors.

On the other hand, despite the fact that solar charging stations and electric vehicles are
ideally and environmentally better than the conventional systems adopted nowadays, there are
still major challenges that limit their use. For instance, an electric car will survive for more years
and require less maintenance, but a gas-powered car will go further on a single fill-up and is
easier to replace parts over time. This is due to problems and concerns in the battery performance
of the vehicle as well as its long charging time. Moreover, solar panels require a lot of space,
meaning, the more electricity you need, the more solar panels you will have to install.
Unfortunately, some roofs do not have the required space in order to fit the number of solar
panels required for the system. In addition, problems emerge in the efficiency of the solar panels
since they are weather dependent. A cloudy or rainy day will cause a drop in the panels’

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efficiency, leading to lower power production levels. Such problems, in addition to the large
amounts of money required to shift towards this type of energy alternative, as well as the need of
a well distributed charging infrastructure, are all delaying the adoption of this type of clean
transportation means in the world.

In the case of Lebanon, the country is suffering from an economic crisis, a pandemic as
well as a threat of war, all of which have led to the huge devaluation of its currency, losing more
than 90% of its initial value in less than 2 years making people’s life harder to adapt with the
new difficulties. Despite that, there are still chances and opportunities to benefit from, one of
which is that the Lebanese government has put in place a law back in 2018 that gives the
privilege of not paying customs on electric cars (used to get to up to 60% of the price of the car),
as a form of encouragement for the people to start buying EVs. This incentive is important for
the people to buy electric cars in Lebanon, but there are several disadvantages that prevents them
from doing so, such as the continuous power outage and the unavailability of a good electric
charging infrastructure. Assuming that the law regarding the EVs will stand at least for the next
10 years, car companies in Lebanon should benefit from this time and encourage people on
buying electric vehicles by offering attractive packages combining both the car and the solar
charging station it needs for it to be fully charged on a daily basis. Therefore, this can be even
more tempting, if there is a reduction in the price of the solar charging system or if there is an
arrangement of payment by installments.

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Reference:

A feasibility study of solar PV‐powered electric cars using an interdisciplinary modeling

approach for the electricity balance, CO2 emissions, and economic aspects: The cases of The
Netherlands, Norway, Brazil, and Australia Alonzo Sierra Rodriguez | Tiago de Santana | Iain
MacGill | N.J. Ekins‐Daukes | Angèle Reinders

System design for a solar powered electric vehicle charging station for workplaces q G.R.
Chandra Mouli, P. Bauer , M. Zeman

https://www.embitel.com/automotive-insights/understanding-embedded-electronics-behind-
solar-based-charging-of-electric-vehicles

https://evbox.com/en/electric-cars/chevrolet/chevrolet-bolt\

https://evbox.com/en/ev-chargers/businessline#techspecs

https://www.enfsolar.com/pv/inverter-
datasheet/14089?utm_source=ENF&utm_medium=inverter_list&utm_campaign=enquiry_produ
ct_directory&utm_content=73689

https://www.enfsolar.com/pv/storage-system-
datasheet/2080?utm_source=ENF&utm_medium=storage_system_list&utm_campaign=enquiry_
product_directory&utm_content=77684

https://www.enfsolar.com/pv/panel-
datasheet/crystalline/46996?utm_source=ENF&utm_medium=panel_list&utm_campaign=enquir
y_product_directory&utm_content=130007

https://www.enfsolar.com/pv/charge-controller-
datasheet/2818?utm_source=ENF&utm_medium=charge_controller_list&utm_campaign=enquir
y_product_directory&utm_content=7903

https://can-store.chargehub.com/collections/level-2-home-ev-charging-
stations/products/juicebox-32-residential-charging-station

https://freewiretech.com/difference-between-ev-charging-levels/

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