Distribuidora has inaugurated the first solar charging station in the Southern Hemisphere to serve electric vehicles and is getting ready to inaugurate the first Latin American service station to supply hydrogen-powered vehicles. Geraldo Falcão / Petrobras Image BankCommitted to the environment, the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the demand for nonfossil fuel vehicles, innovation, and a vision for the future, Petrobras Distribuidora is implementing two pioneering projects. In Rio de Janeiro, it has inaugurated the Eletroposto, the first solar charging station in the Southern Hemisphere to serve electric vehicles. In São Paulo, it will inaugurate the first service station to supply hydrogen-powered vehicles within four months.
The Eletroposto, a R$ 70,000 investment which was implemented in July 2009, is a 100% Brazilian technology project developed by Petrobras Distribuidora. The charging station is one of a kind in the Southern Hemisphere because it obtains its energy from solar panels, and there are only about five similar ones in the Northern Hemisphere. The energy is obtained through a set of 28 panel-mounted photovoltaic cell modules, generating up to 184 Vdc and resulting in up to 100 kW/h per month. The direct current is converted into 220 Vac three-phase power by a Sunny Boy inverter. The resulting power is made available through three 110 or 220 recharging outlets for motorcycles and cars. In the event of a lack of solar energy or a peak demand that exceeds its designed capacity, the inverter obtains its energy from the electricity grid. When not in use for recharge, the generated energy is directed to the service station. As Rio de Janeiro is sunny for 70% of the year, the balance of renewable energy is always positive. There is also the possibility of choice between 1 to 3-hour spot recharge or exchanging discharged for charged batteries. In general terms, each recharging hour represents 10-km range for electric cars and motorcycles.
Geraldo Falcão / Petrobras Image Bank
It is possible to recharge electric vehicles with solar energy at the Eletroposto
Editorial Comment: Strikes me that this is the way forward. The only exhaust from hydrogen combustion is water !! Surely, this technology must more than counter-balance the frightening cost and long-term problems posed by the exhaust from burning fossil fuels and the even greater problems posed by the storage of nuclear waste for about 1000 years !! Whilst we know that the storage of hydrogen safely is problematic ( as are the combustion temperatures), it must be the cheapest and least complicated solution for the future. |
