Electric/hybrid recharging scheme using garages and solar cells?

Question

You see paces with large parking lots all the time that are 1/2 full, sometimes malls, sometime those walmart-style mega centers, and I am sure you know at least one large employer in your area with a massive parking lot or parking garage.

Why not simply install photovoltaic (solar) cells and make that parking covered?

If you install plugs or very short distance wireless transmitters, it would let hybrids/electric vehicles to charge while they are parked.

No parking lot is ever full. Each parking spot will be supplied by more than one spot's worth of panels.

Private costs can be cut by tax breaks from cities, that stand to gain from not having to build extra power plants. If it were a good enough plan, it could also be completely publicly financed. A small tax on gasoline of a fraction of a cent would probably be the best bet to finance such construction.

The land owner would also benefit from the extra power generated on weekends, holidays or off-peak times.

Answer 1

This would be done, if only people would pay that much for electricity--which they won't.

Answer 2

In many progressive cities around the world, there are parking spots, specifically for electric/hybrids, that feature outlets to plug in your car and recharge the batteries. Expect these spots to become more common and to eventually turn up in a community near you.

Answer 3

Yeah, covering parking lots with solar is a no-brainer, even if they don't charge electric cars.  Just feed the energy onto the grid. People love covered parking, keeps the sun/rain/snow off their rides.

Answer 4

Certainly this is desirable

Tesla will fit solar pannels to your garage http://www.teslamotors.com/blog2/index.p...

and Wesminster London provide free parking & charging spaces for electric vehicles.

Modern evs can be charged in 10 minutes, http://www.phoenixmotorcars.com.

Though this is at a higher urrent rating than could be provied directly from solar panels.

However, electric transmission is very efficient, so just connecting your home pv, wind generator and chp systems to the grid, could  feed your demand whereever you plug-in.

and vice versa your electric car, charged overnight sufficient for >200 miles, has only done <20 mile commute could sell surplus electric back to the grid http://www.acpropulsion.com/technology/v...

Answer 5

Fantastic great idea!  :)