Recently, Smart City San Diego and the San Diego Zoo announced they will install a solar photovoltaic canopy that will charge electric vehicles (EV) in the Zoo parking lot. Smart City San Diego is a collaboration that combines the resources of San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), City of San Diego, GE, UC San Diego and CleanTECH San Diego to drive projects that improve the region's energy independence, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and assert San Diego as a clean energy leader.
The Solar-to-EV project is one of the first in the region. The project will use the sun’s energy to charge plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs), store solar power for future use and provide renewable energy to the surrounding community. Located at the San Diego Zoo, the Solar-to-EV project will serve as a new energy infrastructure blueprint that can be replicated throughout the region and beyond.
At its peak, the Solar-to-EV project will produce enough energy to power 59 homes. The clean energy produced is equivalent to removing 189,216 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere each year, or equal to planting 2,788 trees a year. For additional comparison, the greenhouse gas emissions savings from the electricity produced is equivalent to removing 21 cars from the road each year. Furthermore, PEVs when driven on electricity offer zero tailpipe emissions and no emissions overall when the electricity is directly from solar power.
The Solar-to-EV project not only aims to encourage EV drivers to visit the San Diego Zoo, but will also have displays onsite and online to educate visitors about the benefits of batteries that can store solar energy, the benefits of driving EVs, and the role that the system plays in driving sustainability forward. The system will serve as a cornerstone in the San Diego Zoo's ongoing efforts to encourage the application of sustainable design driven by science and the natural world.
For more information, see the article, “Smart City San Diego & San Diego Zoo Unveil Solar To Electric Vehicle Charging Project.”
