The transition to electric vehicles (EV) in India is a positive and accelerating development, and at the forefront are solar powered EV charging stations that are changing the way we think about cleaner, less expensive transportation options. With the delivery of solar energy to EV charging infrastructure, India is promoting green mobility that will lead to significant reductions in carbon emissions and costs.

The Functioning of Solar EV Charging Stations

In these systems, solar panels are either mounted to a canopy or installed on rooftops to convert sunlight into electricity. The electricity can be utilized to charge electric vehicles directly, or it can be funneled to batteries for use in peak electric demand or nighttime. Utilities can be compensated for this service, and if the utilities sell electricity back to the grid, it creates profitability for the utility through net metering.

Advantages for Environment and Economy

Having the ability to charge an electric vehicle using solar energy is always using a clean energy source to charge the electric vehicle instead of relying on the coal-for-electricity grid, which has a very large carbon footprint. Owners of electric vehicles and fleet owners who are saving on electric grid costs save revenue because they are consuming less electricity and have improved profit margins because of this. Distributed solar public EV infrastructure provides improved electric grid resilience and energy insecurity reduction for vulnerable populations.

Government Initiatives and Market Opportunities

Governments have launched numerous incentives to promote solar electric vehicle (EV) charging, especially under the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles (FAME -II) scheme, in order to bolster solar EV charging units Deployment of solar EV charging units has reached over 100 gigawatts (GW) of solar capacity by early 2025, and dispatching of renewable energy continues to increase to support electrified vehicles.

Technological innovations shaping the future

Innovative technologies ranging from (AI) enabled-smart chargers, Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) bi-directional charging, and modular energy storage add performance and flexibility enhancements, optimising electric vehicle performance. Innovations bring resilience in the grid enhancing renewable energy dispatch to ensure solar powered electric vehicle charging is seamless.

Challenges and Opportunities

barriers and barriers of initial capital costs as well as space remains; however, declining policies and technology capital costs for solar collector technologies will tremendously increase. The co-branding of clean energy solar powered EV charging stations provides a unique opportunity for clean energy to converge with the transportation system with sustainable energy use pathways, integral to India's net-zero carbon commitment.

By 2025, solar powered EV charging stations will be a central part of India's clean mobility, in support of clean transportation modes and ultimately serving the long-term, contemporary end-use pathways and vehicles of energy. `