Mobile PV-powered EV Charging Stations For Commercial, Industrial Sites

Wedoany.com Report-Oct 24, A UK solar car park company, 3ti Energy Hubs, has launched Papilio3, a standardized, portable solar charging station in a carport design with space for twelve electric vehicles.

Made for rapid deployment, the Papilio3 system is grid-connected with 18 MWh annual solar power generation. It is targeted at short-duration parking sites where electric vehicles may be parked for three to six hours, such as hospitals, offices, and conference centers.

“Papilio3 is a standard product, with a standard design, it is a quick and easy process and 3ti usually does it on behalf of customers,” a 3ti spokesperson told pv magazine.

Built around an upcycled shipping container, the behind-the-meter system has 42 solar panels and charging bays for twelve electric vehicles, supporting 7 kW to 22kW type charging. It is available from 3ti on a monthly rental basis. Several reference customers are already using the system.

Planning and permitting are typically done on behalf of the customer by 3ti. “As it is installed behind the customer’s meter, there are no delays waiting for new connections and additional metering; and our smart microgrid control systems mean it does not need dedicated, reserved capacity either,” said the spokesperson.

They added that recent changes to permitting rules in the UK make it still necessary to complete an application on a site-by-site basis but processing tends to go smoothly as EV charging infrastructure is seen as a way to reduce peak power consumption.

3ti was founded in 2019. It offers a range of solar and energy storage technologies and services. Its UK customers include Bentley Motors, Silverstone Circuits, Wiltshire Leisure Centre, and Surrey County Council. Its installed base is 9.57 MW of solar PV for 2,500 parking spaces.