The municipality of Falconara Marittima, Italy, has installed a free off-grid photovoltaic shade for electric vehicle charging at no cost to users. The system has a capacity of 7 kW and includes a 10 kWh battery.
From pv magazine Italy
The Italian municipality of Falconara Marittima has deployed a public off-grid photovoltaic shade to enable electric vehicle owners to recharge their cars for free.
“The initiative is an unprecedented novelty,” Michele Massacesi, the owner of the company that developed the project, Sistema X, told pv magazine Italy. “There are three unique characteristics of this product: A self-supporting off-grid shade that rests on ballast, without requiring any excavation and therefore easily removable; electricity produced exclusively by the sun, therefore 100% sustainable; and free energy supply without any form of payment. These are unique features on the market today.”
The system is the result of an innovative technology patented by ML Green Srl and is marketed exclusively by Sistema X. The device can be replicated anywhere, as it is patented to simply be placed on the ground.
“The patented system has a power of 7 kW and is supported by a 10 kW storage system,” said Massacesi. “In its standard version, the shade can recharge two cars simultaneously for at least 4.6 kW in just two hours, a time that doubles for the most advanced models.”
Sistema X has also built an energy community in Falconara Marittima. The company invested its own funds in the 84 kW project and the municipality offered its roof surfaces for free.
