Why Solar Power Charging Stations Are Popping Up Across the US

If you've recently taken a road trip across the United States, you've likely come across a parking lot with shiny metallic verandas and futuristic gas pumps.

But, instead of harmful fossil fuel extracts filling up vehicles with an internal combustion engine, there's clean, sustainable electricity flowing into a next-generation Electric Vehicle (EV). Solar power charging stations are cropping up all across the country. 

This is due primarily to the fact that electric vehicles are quickly gaining popularity in the United States and sustainable solar power charging stations are in a prime position to fill this demand.

Most EVs can be charged using solar panels on roofs of homes, apartment buildings, parking lots, garages, and office buildings—essentially any surface capable of solar panel installations. As one of the most solar power capable countries in the world, the United States is leading the way towards the future of mass EV adoption, and increasing the availability of charging stations is a natural progression of solar panel availability. 

As you likely know, solar power charging stations are used to generate solar energy from the sun and store it for later use in an electric vehicle. They're generally set up as solar panel arrays that feed off solar inverters, which control the amount of solar energy collected and stored in batteries.

In turn, those batteries can provide a consistent source of electricity to electric cars or transfer it to the vehicle battery via a solar charging station.

In many ways, the reasoning behind this spike in solar power charging stations is obvious. But to truly understand why the solar revolution is gaining such traction in the United States, there are some major factors you need to be aware of.

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What's Behind the Rise in Solar Power Charging Stations Across the Country?

The solar energy industry has seen robust growth across the country for years. In 2016, solar was the top source of new power generation capacity in America. And just last year, even in the midst of a global pandemic, this sustainable energy source had a record year, with capacity increasing by over 40%. 

This increase in market size is projected to continue behind some major driving forces, including global concern regarding climate change, improvement in photovoltaic technology, increased American investment in sustainable energy infrastructure, and the widespread popularity of Tesla EVs. 

Here’s what you need to know. 

Climate Change

The first and most important driver of solar-powered EV charging stations in the United States is readily apparent: climate change.

In a year where many countries, including the United States, witnessed unprecedented weather events, the need for more sustainable infrastructure is readily apparent. There's been record-breaking heat waves, massive storm systems, and devastating floods that caused serious damage to both economic and societal activity.

At the recent COP26 climate summit, countries addressed necessary changes to their carbon emissions, and ways to stem the use of fossil fuel-powered vehicles were certainly an area of discussion.

The solar power industry is steadily taking advantage of the need for sustainable infrastructure, and this activity is naturally trickling into the emissions-spewing traditional automotive sector. With more and more car manufacturers prioritizing hybrid and fully-electric options, solar-powered charging stations are becoming commonplace across the United States, especially in California, the solar hub of the nation.

Sustainability Policies

A natural outcome of the collective concern surrounding climate change is that governments at the local, state and federal levels are pushing to enact policies that will help keep the United States aligned with the fight against global warming. These policies range from incentives for solar panels and solar-powered homes to regulations that promote the manufacturing and purchase of electric vehicles.

With the rapid expansion of solar power generation across the country, more people are looking into using solar energy to power their cars rather than gasoline or some other fuel source.

As the popularity of solar energy increases in the residential segment, there's also increasing action happening on the commercial side in the form of solar power charge stations.

For instance, the American government recently put in place measures to ensure that solar charging stations are more available across the country. Additionally, the federal government also increased solar charging station funding in the federal transportation bill that was recently passed.

It states that the government will be partnering with solar companies and solar electric car manufacturers to create more solar power charging stations across the United States. 

These policies have certainly been embraced in some states more than others. States in the Pacific Northwest, for example, are particularly enthralled with solar panel installation and solar-powered infrastructure in general.

As of May 2021, the country has just over 45,000 designated EV charging stations and over 100,000 charging outlets. At the state level, California has the most EV stations, followed by New York, Florida, Texas, and Massachusetts. Of these, the majority are privately owned. 

As investment in solar continues to flow from both the private and public sectors, don’t be surprised if you see more and more solar charge stations in your local area. 

Improvements in PV and Battery Technology

Photovoltaic cells, or PVs, are the crucial component of solar panel systems that allow us to capture solar energy and use it for electricity. As the energy from the sun shines down on solar panels, the photovoltaic cells absorb solar energy and turn it into electricity.

Photons from sunlight excite electrons to move through semiconductors, which causes them to produce an electric field across the solar cell. The solar energy industry has experienced great growth over the past two decades thanks to PV manufacturers making solar capture easier for people in both commercial and residential settings. 

These solar cells are the building blocks of solar panels, which in turn form solar modules that become solar panels when placed together in large numbers. These modules are most commonly made from about 95% silicon. Other compounds containing cadmium, copper, or gallium are also becoming popular, particularly for the creation of thin-film PVs. 

As solar technology has advanced to be able to convert more solar energy into electricity, PVs have grown in size, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. With development showing no signs of slowing down, it’s likely that solar charging stations will continue to populate the United States. 

The Popularity of Tesla EVs

Last but certainly not least, we have the popularity of Tesla.

There's no denying that Tesla has played a central role in bringing electric vehicles to the cultural forefront. For years, auto sector executives and stakeholders lambasted these vehicles and withheld investment in the technology necessary for the development of battery-driven cars. Now the rest of the industry is playing catch-up.

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Tesla's huge market capitalization, advanced technology, constantly improving product strategy, and strong brand recognition pose serious threats to legacy automakers. They’re forcing companies like Ford,  BMW, and Mercedes-Benz to accelerate the development of the electric vehicle (EV) space by either investing in smaller upstarts or expanding their own EV technologies, both of which hinder their ability to keep up with Tesla in terms of R&D and production.

Tesla is poised to lead the way for solar-powered charging stations across the US. As of this year, the EV company’s market capitalization dwarfs the rest of the auto sector, with the next closest competitor sitting roughly $750 Billion USD behind. There’s little standing in the way of Tesla at the moment. 

One of the only pressure points Tesla faces during longer trips is the availability of public charging stations, which enable owners to charge their cars while out and about, instead of relying on home charging. But, as we’ve seen, the rest of the nation is already preparing the infrastructure to make EVs the new norm. 

Only the Beginning

With current trends in global weather, government policy, and consumer sentiment, it doesn't appear that the solar movement will be slowing down anytime soon. In fact, as companies like Tesla continue to push the boundaries of battery storage and PV capture, solar momentum is expected to pick up even more speed.

The solar revolution will be solar-powered—it has been slow to take off, but it appears the industry has sustained its initial flight—and is poised for a steady takeoff.