PV to EV

Tucson Electric Power aims to provide 70% of its power through renewable energy sources and reduce carbon emission levels by 80% by 2035. As the electric vehicle market increases, one part of meeting these goals is expanding the availability of affordable solar-powered electric vehicle charging stations.

This standalone system converts solar energy into electricity using a Maximum Power Point Tracking feature, a technique that optimizes the variable solar power input energy. This optimal energy is then extracted and routed to the charging circuit subsystem that contains a 240kV step up isolation transformer and a buck converter that steps down the voltage to power an Arduino MEGA 2560 microcontroller. The Arduino monitors and communicates digital control to the closed-loop cooling subsystem to keep the internal temperature within operable limits.

The solar charging circuit, microcontroller and cooling system are enclosed in a National Electric Manufacturers Association 3R-rated external housing system, making the off-grid solar power converter able to withstand extreme weather conditions. This system will allow users to charge electric vehicles directly from solar panels without grid interconnectivity.