Electric power must become less dependent on fossil fuels and transportation must become more electric to decrease carbon emissions and mitigate climate change. Increasing availability and accessibility of charging stations is predicted to increase purchases of electric vehicles. In order to address the current inadequate charging infrastructure for electric vehicles, major entities must adopt business models for solar powered charging stations (SPCS). These SPCS should be located in parking lots to produce electricity for the grid and provide an integrated infrastructure for charging electric vehicles. Due to the lack of information related to SPCS business models, this manuscript designs several models for major entities including industry, the federal and state government, utilities, universities, and public parking. A literature review of the available relevant business models and case studies of constructed charging stations was completed to support the proposals. In addition, a survey of a university's students, staff, and faculty was conducted to provide consumer research on people's opinion of SPCS construction and preference of business model aspects. Results showed that 69% OPEN ACCESSSustainability 2014, 6 7359 of respondents would be more willing to invest in an electric vehicle if there was sufficient charging station infrastructure at the university. Among many recommendations, the business models suggest installing level 1 charging for the majority of entities, and to match entities' current pricing structures for station use. The manuscript discusses the impacts of fossil fuel use, and the benefits of electric car and SPCS use, accommodates for the present gap in available literature on SPCS business models, and provides current consumer data for SPCS and the models proposed.

No abstract

This letter reports on the design and pilot installation of GridShares, devices intended to alleviate brownouts caused by peak power use on isolated, village-scale mini-grids. A team consisting of the authors and partner organizations designed, built and field-tested GridShares in the village of Rukubji, Bhutan. The GridShare takes an innovative approach to reducing brownouts by using a low cost device that communicates the state of the grid to its users and regulates usage before severe brownouts occur. This demand-side solution encourages users to distribute the use of large appliances more evenly throughout the day, allowing power-limited systems to provide reliable, long-term renewable electricity to these communities. In the summer of 2011, GridShares were installed in every household and business connected to the Rukubji micro-hydro mini-grid, which serves approximately 90 households with a 40 kW nominal capacity micro-hydro system. The installation was accompanied by an extensive education program. Following the installation of the GridShares, the occurrence and average length of severe brownouts, which had been caused primarily by the use of electric cooking appliances during meal preparation, decreased by over 92%. Additionally, the majority of residents surveyed stated that now they are more certain that their rice will cook well and that they would recommend installing GridShares in other villages facing similar problems.

This work focuses on aspects related to the development and implementation of solar-powered charge stations (SPCS), analyzing specifically the social, economic, and technological challenges associated with increasing the use of electric vehicles (EVs) and the availability of SPCS. Greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced by the electrification of transportation and the generation of electricity with sustainable energy, including solar energy at SPCS. The charging infrastructure for EVs can be improved by adding SPCS to many parking lots so that EV owners can plug in at work, shopping centers, events, and home. Results from a Kansas State University survey indicate that the limited charging infrastructure is a present concern when considering a purchase of an EV. Smart grid developments with real time prices for electricity have many positive features that support SPCS installations and EV sales, including higher values for the electricity generated at SPCS and reduced cost for night time charging of EVs. There is the potential to improve urban air quality by replacing internal combustion vehicles that have emissions with EVs that do not have carbon emissions. When all costs are considered, SPCS and EVs have a favorable outlook, and advances in battery technology have the potential to reduce EV costs and increase their range.

No abstract