Open-source Photovoltaic - Electrical Vehicle Carport Designs

Solar powering the increasing fleet of electrical vehicles (EV) demands more surface area than may be available for photovoltaic (PV)-powered buildings. Parking lot solar canopies can provide the needed area to charge EVs but are substantially costlier than roof- or ground-mounted PV systems. To provide a low-cost PV parking lot canopy to supply EV charging, in this study, we provide a full mechanical and economic analysis of three novel PV canopy systems: (1) an exclusively wood, single-parking-spot spanning system, (2) a wood and aluminum double-parking-spot spanning system, and (3) a wood and aluminum cantilevered system for curbside parking. All three systems can be scaled to any amount of EV parking spots. The complete designs and bill of materials (BOM) of the canopies are provided, along with basic instructions, and are released with an open-source license that will enable anyone to fabricate them. Analysis results indicate that single-span systems provide cost savings of 82–85%, double-span systems save 43–50%, and cantilevered systems save 31–40%. In the first year of operation, PV canopies can provide 157% of the energy needed to charge the least efficient EV currently on the market if it is driven the average driving distance in London, ON, Canada.

• For designs, drawings, and calculations: https://osf.io/hz3rn/
• For OSHWA Open Source Certification: https://certification.oshwa.org/ca000014.html

Keywords

mechanical design; electric vehicle; solar energy; solar carport; electric vehicle charging station; Open-source; Photovoltaic; racking; biomaterials; wood; balance of systems; renewable energy; do-it-yourself

See also

• Electric Vehicle Charging Potential from Retail Parking Lot Solar Photovoltaic Awnings
• Performance and analysis of retail store‐centered microgrids with solar photovoltaic parking lot, cogeneration, and battery‐based hybrid systems
• Technical Solar Photovoltaic Potential of Scaled Parking Lot Canopies- A Case Study of Walmart U.S.A.
• Power and energy potential of mass-scale photovoltaic noise barrier deployment- A case study for the U.S.
• Additional value of non-electricity generating services (co-benefits) provided by non-conventional dual use solar photovoltaic systems: A PRISMA review
• To Catch the Sun
• Open source DIY solar photovoltaic racking
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• Circular PV panel

Open Source Photovoltaic Racking Approaches

• Ground-mounted
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  3-D Printing Solar Photovoltaic Racking in Developing World
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  Open-Source Vertical Swinging Wood-Based Solar Photovoltaic Racking Systems
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  Vertical Free-Swinging Photovoltaic Racking Energy Modelling: A Novel Approach to Agrivoltaics
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  Impacts of Location on Designs and Economics of DIY Low-Cost Fixed-Tilt Open Source Wood Solar Photovoltaic Racking
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  Open-Source Design and Economics of Manual Variable-Tilt Angle DIY Wood-Based Solar Photovoltaic Racking System
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  Low-cost pole and wire photovoltaic racking
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  Parametric Open Source Cold-Frame Agrivoltaic Systems
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  The potential for fencing to be used as low-cost solar photovoltaic racking
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  Geographic potential of shotcrete photovoltaic racking: Direct and low-concentration cases
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  Open-source Photovoltaic - Electrical Vehicle Carport Designs
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  Geographical Dependence of Open Hardware Optimization: Case Study of Solar Photovoltaic Racking
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  Solar photovoltaic wood racking mechanical design for trellis-based agrivoltaics
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  Wood and Cable-Based Variable Tilt Stilt-Mounted Solar Photovoltaic Racking System
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  Ballast-Supported Foundation Designs for DIY Low-Cost Open-Source Solar Photovoltaic Racking Systems
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  Distributed Manufacturing for Distributed Generation: 3-D Printed Solar Photovoltaic Module Mounting Mechanisms for Wood Racking
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  Mechanical and economic analysis of conventional aluminum photovoltaic module frames, frames with side holes, and open-source downward-fastened frames for non-traditional racking
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  Technical, Economic and Environmental Potential of Recycled Polycarbonate Solar Photovoltaic Frames

• Roof-mounted
• 
  Total U.S. cost evaluation of low-weight tension-based photovoltaic flat-roof mounted racking
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  Design of Post-Consumer Modification of Standard Solar Modules to Form Large-Area Building-Integrated Photovoltaic Roof Slates
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  Distributed manufacturing with 3-D printing: a case study of recreational vehicle solar photovoltaic mounting systems

• FPV
• 
  Distributed manufacturing of after market flexible floating photovoltaic modules

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