eParking solar energy by TONOMIA technologies
The design and configuration of eParking solar depend on various factors, such as your solar electrical energy production goals, the number, and onsite charging time of electrical vehicles, and your facility’s expected annual energy use (electricity & heat harvesting for your building). Have you determined the necessary solar production to meet the demand for electrical vehicle charging and achieve Net-0 electric targets (or even for BREAM certification, for example)? Typically, eParking Solar systems can be sized to generate more energy than your facility consumes in a year, providing additional value for GRID injection or charging EVs and enhancing the assets of your park lots.
The cost of installing eParking solar systems varies based on several factors, such as the distance to the utility, the number of battery interconnections (integrated in our module, with no loss of parking spaces!), installation for the parking lot, sun orientation, desired power voltages, site topography, and accessibility. Over the last three years, the cost of solar has decreased, primarily due to the rapid decline in PV panel prices and EV charging systems. Additionally, various financial initiatives at the local, regional, and national levels (even European) can further offset costs, and we have identified partners who can assist in securing subsidies.
If you’re interested, we can provide examples of typical system costs. When considering the financial value, it’s important to account for the land lost beneath typical ground-mount systems, potential reroofing requirements for rooftop systems, or the optimization of parking spaces with carport systems and electrical vehicle charging systems. The incorporation of Sodium Ion batteries often positions eParking solar as the most financially attractive option among electrical power installations.
The actual energy savings achievable with your solar project hinge on its efficiency, the cost of electricity in your utility territory, and the future cost projections for that electricity. In Europe, electric rates have consistently increased by 20% since 2020, enhancing the value of solar over the system’s lifespan. If you integrate eParking solar modules with your facilities and achieve a Net-0 electric production scenario, your savings could equal your entire annual electric bill. Furthermore, the potential resale of electricity through electric vehicle charging systems adds another dimension to your savings.
Beyond the financial advantages, the installation of eParking solar brings about improvements to our energy infrastructure, reduces your negative environmental footprint, and strengthens and lightens the local electric grid. Additionally, eParking solar facilitates logical interconnection payments for electric vehicle charging stations and car lot lighting.
Financing
For Europe: If your organization is based in Europe, your solar installer operates regionally and maintains proximity to public authorities. As a result, they are well-equipped to provide information about available tax credits.
For the US only: Public entities and non-profit organizations, lacking tax liability, usually cannot directly take advantage of the 26% federal solar investment tax credit (FITC) or system depreciation. However, installers can achieve success in assisting with the establishment of Limited Liability Corporations (LLCs) to construct and own these projects for a five-year period, in accordance with current tax laws. This structure enables the passage of tax benefits to almost any entity, including schools and non-profits.
For the US only: Tax credits and incentives are typically received by the solar system owner, whether they are the end owners or an LLC, as described above. System owners generally cover all upfront costs for the design and construction of the solar project and, in return, receive all associated credits and incentives. In cases where an LLC owns the system, these benefits are commonly forwarded to the end-owner, resulting in lower electricity costs and/or a reduced system sales price after five years.
For Europe: If your organization is located in Europe and you are interested in understanding the applicable policies and incentives in any region, please contact us for more information.
Development & Construction
Most solar electricity and energy storage projects necessitate regional building department structural (of your city) and electrical permits/certification before installation can commence. Additionally, some projects will require planning, environmental, and/or geotechnical reviews.
Approvals from the local utility are also essential for a metered “interconnect” to the electric grid. Your eParking solar team installer is available to secure all the permits, agreements, and approvals required for large park lot solar projects.
Our eParking solar modules are engineered to withstand winds of close to 130 km/h or more (80 mph) with anchors “pushed & pulled” into the ground, providing stability even during seismic events. eParking solar has invested years in scrutinizing products and materials, conducting rigorous studies and tests on systems and structures, and demonstrating product reliability and production. All installations adhere to stringent safety standards in compliance with the latest international protocols.
The installation time for an eParking solar system varies depending on the size and complexity of your project. It may take as little as two weeks or as long as two months. Factors influencing the timeline include weather conditions, availability of utility company services, building department permitting requirements, incentive processes, and efforts to minimize disruption to the facility. Projects typically follow a three-phase implementation cycle: Phase-1 involves project development, including the establishment of plans, permits, contracts, deposits, and schedules. In Phase-2, the system is properly installed and inspected, while Phase-3 includes testing, commissioning, and interconnecting the system to the electric grid (with the option of incorporating a battery system for on/off-grid capabilities).
eParking solar systems are installed by eParking solar installers in collaboration with qualified subcontractors, electricians, and PV installers. Each entity involved is responsible for fulfilling the warranty for their specific part of the installation. However, the project developer typically serves as a single point of contact for the system owner. We provide a 25-year warranty on the backbone structure and the foundation. For a comprehensive warranty sheet covering all components and installation details, please contact us.
eParking solar modules can be installed swiftly and seamlessly in parking lots. There is no loss of parking spaces. However, it’s common for full-size spaces to be converted to “all-in-one” compact spaces at the support-pole locations, which can also accommodate electric vehicle charging stations. This is typically achieved through our “Y” like structure, ensuring efficient use of the parking area without sacrificing available spaces.Operations & Maintenance
eParking solar systems are fully automatic, powered by AI, and require no daily input from owners beyond confirming electricity production, charging or activating batteries or electrical vehicle systems, or still photovoltaic water cleaning. The design of eParking solar modules prioritizes high reliability, availability, maintainability, and safety, ensuring that daily use maintenance is performed predictively. An onsite survey is recommended twice a year.
In our roadmap (Q3 2024), the future autonomous control systems “wakes” the units in the morning from their stow (flat) sleeping position, maximizes the panels of the “Y” towards the sun, and adjusts them every few minutes to stay perpendicular to the sun. Each evening at sundown, the eParking solar arrays return to their stow position for the night.
eParking solar is RAMS (Reliability, Availability, Maintainability & Safety) designed and powered by AI, with predictive maintenance and automatic water cleaning of the PV panels. The project owner is responsible for the long-term operations and maintenance (O&M) of any solar system. For eParking solar, this O&M includes annual lubrication, physical inspection, any required touch-up painting, and continuous monitoring of the solar system output to ensure proper, uninterrupted power generation. An onsite survey is recommended twice a year.
eParking solar is designed for modularity and ease of relocation. Four large bolts anchor the structure to the foundation, allowing easy disassembly and movement with “by air” system rewiring (electrical cables, heat pipes of the modules are connected by pipes to each other by the air)
- Electricity by PV production for local consumption for EV or withdrawal from the GRID
- Electrical vehicle charging systems
- Sodium Ion battery storage
- Tonobox ©, the solar-powered AI computer to manage the modules, and for predictive maintenance & more (RAMS)
- Car detection, infrared cameras, LED lighting are equipped on eParking solar.
- Water & heat harvesting (bundled with a heat pump in a nearby building)
eParking solar systems are constructed to last a lifetime. They come with a full 20-year structural warranty, and with proper care, they can last as long as needed. The PV modules of the system carry a minimum 20-year performance guarantee.
Energy Storage
Battery storage, typically in the form of a Sodium Ion battery system, is commonly employed to reduce electric costs/variances by shifting Time of Use and/or electricity demand charges. This storage solution also provides backup power during grid outages or serves as the primary power source for off-grid installations. The energy storage system is typically charged by the utility grid (if on-grid) or the solar system during the day (off-grid or when the utility grid is down) to meet building energy consumption and/or EV charging needs. It then discharges to supply the facility’s electric needs during grid outages or when the sun is not shining.
The cost of energy storage depends on factors such as the required power (W), energy (kWh), and power time (Amp-hours) needed for backup. Prices are continually decreasing as technology advances, and numerous suppliers are available to design and price storage systems for project-specific applications, particularly since eParking solar systems are modular.
For Europe: Building-performance-calculator CAT (requires creating a free account on the European Commission website): The Calculation and Assessment Tool (CAT) for Level(s) can assist you during various phases of building design, construction, maintenance, or de-construction. You can include as many projects as you want, choose how many macro-objectives to cover, and determine the number of indicators to use. As a consumer, you can calculate your carbon footprint with the Consumer Footprint Calculator supported by the European Commission.
For the US only: An easy way to calculate the impact of your solar project is to use the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Greenhouse Gas Equivalency Calculator. This calculator accurately estimates the utility grid pollution eliminated by the clean energy (kWh) you produce each year. Just enter your system’s expected annual energy production in kWhs – [EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Equivalency Calculator](https://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies-calculator).
A useful Canadian calculator tool is available to calculate greenhouse gas (GHG) equivalences. This tool allows you to convert energy data into energy emissions (CO2) and also convert emission data (CO2 and fossil gases) into fossil energy equivalents.
Sustainability
Generating solar electricity directly offsets fossil-fuel-generated electricity from the utility grid. In regions like Oregon, where the grid electricity has a nearly 50% fossil-fuel component, every clean watt produced with local solar displaces a watt of that component.
In terms of embodied Greenhouse Gas (GHG), heat (produced by the PV, even during winter) and PV rainwater harvesting, eParking solar has the lowest carbon footprint per kWh generated among available PV solar platforms.
In the US, each megawatt-hour (MWh) of renewable energy produced generates a Renewable Energy Credit (REC) that can be sold or transferred as a value for your positive environmental impact.
In Europe (where our HQ is located in Belgium), green certificates are no longer delivered, and other carbon compensation/subsidies depend on the region or country.
For Europe: Building-performance-calculator CAT (requires creating a free account on the European Commission website): The Calculation and Assessment Tool (CAT) for Level(s) can assist you during various phases of building design, construction, maintenance, or de-construction. You can include as many projects as you want, choose how many macro-objectives to cover, and determine the number of indicators to use. As a consumer, you can calculate your carbon footprint with the Consumer Footprint Calculator supported by the European Commission.
For the US only: An easy way to calculate the impact of your solar project is to use the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Greenhouse Gas Equivalency Calculator. This calculator accurately estimates the utility grid pollution eliminated by the clean energy (kWh) you produce each year. Just enter your system’s expected annual energy production in kWhs – [EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Equivalency Calculator](https://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies-calculator).
A useful Canadian calculator tool is available to calculate greenhouse gas (GHG) equivalences. This tool allows you to convert energy data into energy emissions (CO2) and also convert emission data (CO2 and fossil gases) into fossil energy equivalents.