A post by guest author Hans Fischer, electric car expert, owner of technikblog.ch and co-founder of Solar Manager AG.
Make the most of solar power.
Photovoltaic systems generate much more energy on sunny days than in the cold, less sunny winter months. A concrete example: A PV system with around 10 kWp can produce between 40 and 60 kWh of energy on good days. Not only the household electricity but also the electric car can benefit from the excess energy.
In practice, this means that with an energy management system like Helion One, self-consumption is maximized – for example, by operating a hot water boiler – and the electric car charging process only starts when sufficient power is available.
The technical requirements.
To optimally use the self-produced solar power for charging the electric vehicle, intelligent system integration is necessary. The minimal requirements are:
A photovoltaic system with an inverter to convert the generated power from the roof.
A measurement at the main connection to monitor how much electricity is being consumed locally.
These two elements form the basic measurement parameters for the Energy Management System (EMS), which precisely calculates how much power is still available for the electric car. This value is sent to the wallbox, which then releases the corresponding charging power to the car. That’s the whole process, but it’s important that all components are compatible with the EMS.
How much solar power share is realistic?
In the author’s case, a total of 2,750 kWh of energy was charged into the electric car over the past 12 months at the home wallbox. Of that, 1,950 kWh came directly from the PV system, meaning that over the year, a nice 70% share of energy came from direct, renewable sources. This is clearly visible in the following graph: from March to September, the electric car can mostly be charged directly from the PV system.
Naturally, the values depend heavily on the user’s weekly routine. However, if you can plan for one day of home office per week and charging on the weekends, such values are very realistic.
Conclusion.
The benefits of an integrated PV-electric car charging concept are wide-ranging. On one hand, costs are reduced because self-generated electricity is typically much cheaper than purchased grid electricity. Through intelligent control, excess energy that would otherwise be fed into the public grid and only minimally compensated is used directly to cover the household’s energy consumption.
The ecological advantage is also significant: the self-generated, green electricity is optimally used, allowing the electric car to be charged almost “for free” with renewable energy – a strong contribution to reducing the carbon footprint.
The combination of a photovoltaic system and an electric car not only increases personal comfort but also accelerates the break-even point of the investment in the PV system and promotes a sustainable energy economy.
Make the switch to electric mobility now.
The switch from a combustion engine car to an electric car has never been more attractive than today. But is the change really worth it? Read this article now – here, we highlight the key advantages of e-mobility and how Clyde’s electric car subscription makes the transition easier for you.
About Hans
Hans Fischer is a long-standing electric car expert in the field of technology and renewable energy. On his blog, technikblog.ch, he regularly shares his expertise and experiences on the topics of solar energy, electromobility, smart home, etc. As co-founder of Solar Manager AG, his main job is to find efficient ways to make the most of solar power production.
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All inclusive.
You choose the right electric car for you and set your desired minimum term—anywhere from 1 to 48 months—as well as your monthly mileage, from 250 to 4,000 kilometers. After that, you simply pay a fixed monthly rate that covers all costs, including electricity if you wish. Welcome to Clyde.
