Europe explores potential of solar powered vehicles
An international public-private consortium will address how solar-powered vehicles can support the transition to an all-electric transport system in the EU. The group named SolarMoves and, in addition to TNO (The Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research), includes among others Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems, Sono Motors, and IM Efficiency.
This pilot project comes at the behest of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE) to explore the potential of solar-powered vehicles and its impact on the electrical recharging infrastructure policy and regulations in Europe in the coming years.
In the coming decade, the EU and Member States have ambitious targets to transition to a zero-emissions transport system. This requires significant investments in car recharging infrastructure. Solar technology for mobility applications can potentially ease this investment and help to overcome some of the challenges users of electric vehicles experience. For instance by diminishing the dependence from recharging Earlier research shows estimates that it’s possible to charge about 25% fewer annually when driving electric vehicles with solar panels installed. In sunny places it can be reduced to as much as 40%.
Growing market
Electric vehicles with solar panels may represent 10% of the entire market in 2030. Several cars with solar cells are in development. Furthermore, already more than 30 truck trailers are driving through Europe, with solar cells on its trailer roof, making commercial transport more sustainable by using solar energy. Next to that, inner-city public transport fleets are already equipped with solar cells to reduce emissions and fuel costs.
Monitoring efficiency to predict required infrastructure
A three-years pilot project will be conducted in which modelling will be combined with and verified by on-the-road monitoring and testing. Various vehicles (cars, trucks, buses, and vans) will be equipped with integrated solar panels. The vehicles will also be equipped with sensors to measure and determine solar irradiation in real-world conditions across Europe.
The results of this monitoring will give insight into the increase in efficiency of electric vehicles when solar technology is integrated and will be used to ascertain the overall potential of this technology and make predictions on the required recharging infrastructure for the potential scenario in which a significant part of the electrical vehicles are equipped with solar modules in the next years. The findings will finally be translated into a set of policy recommendations for the European Commission.
Read more about vehicle integrated PV
Contact us
-
Jan-Willem Sangers
Functie:Business Development Manager-
Standplaats:Eindhoven - High Tech Campus 21
-
Telefoon:+31 88 866 52 51
-
Email:Email Jan-Willem
-
LinkedIn:Jan-Willem on LinkedIn
-
-
Wim Soppe
Functie:Senior Scientist-
Standplaats:Eindhoven - High Tech Campus 25
-
Telefoon:+31 6 13 41 79 78
-
Email:Email Wim
-
LinkedIn:Wim on LinkedIn
-
-
Lenneke Slooff-Hoek
Functie:Program coordinator-
Standplaats:Petten
-
Telefoon:+31 88 866 27 51
-
Email:Email Lenneke
-
LinkedIn:Lenneke on LinkedIn
-
Get inspired
Dutch-German consortium develops simplified tandem solar modules for European market
In cooperation with Dutch and German industrial partners, TNO is advancing a tandem solar module suitable for early market introduction. This application can reach higher efficiencies than those achieved by current silicon-based solar modules, which results in more power per square meter and lower cost per kWh.
Wind of change in recycling wind turbine blades
A new project aims to find a commercially viable and scalable solution to the looming stockpile of discarded wind turbine blades. The EoLO-HUBs (End of Life through Open HUBs) project will last 4 years.
Combining offshore wind and floating solar to reduce costs of green hydrogen
The recently granted innovative research project SENSE-HUB, led by TNO, addresses the integration of various energy system modules for the Dutch North Sea. The synergies between offshore wind, offshore solar and hydrogen production at sea will be considered.
Paved dykes are promising for solar panel application
A study of the possibilities for adding solar panels to dykes shows that solar panels placed on a paved dyke surface are the most suitable and can be applied without much additional research.
Switch to the hybrid energy system
How will our future electricity grid remain stable and affordable? Watch the webinar from 1 February 2023 and get an insight into the technological and societal solutions for our future energy system.
