Electric vehicles, in all their forms, are a zero-emission alternative to conventional mobility, provided they are used in conjunction with renewable energies

Electric mobility is becoming increasingly important and is one of the key players in the energy transition and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

Some concepts

Vehicles that replace the combustion engine with an electric motor and contain a battery are often referred to generically as “electric vehicles”. These vehicles run on electricity, wherever it comes from.

The electric vehicle is less polluting than a combustion vehicle, as it does not emit exhaust fumes (it doesn’t even have an exhaust pipe!). To be precise, however, it is only as clean as the electricity it uses. This electricity can come from the electricity grid, whose origin is subject to the grid mix, or it can come from renewable and local sources, such as a photovoltaic installation that powers the vehicle’s charger.

This is an electric vehicle that runs on hydrogen. Here, hydrogen gas or H2 does not act as a fuel (it is not burned), but through a chemical reaction called electrolysis, it is broken down into water and electricity. It is this electricity that drives the vehicle’s engine. The component where the chemical reaction takes place is called a fuel cell, which is why these vehicles are often referred to as ‘fuel cell vehicles’.

To learn more about hydrogen, its production and use, and Intergia’s experience with this molecule, please see the Hydrogen tab.

Electric mobility solutions

Electric vehicles can be recharged using charging points, which can be both public and private, and can be installed in petrol stations, on the street, in business or educational centres, in garages and houses…

These charging points can transmit the necessary energy to the vehicles from various sources: renewable energy systems (such as photovoltaic installations), batteries or the grid.

At Intergia we have experience in the installation of electric vehicle charging points, both connected to the electricity grid and in stand-alone operation, through photovoltaic systems with energy storage in batteries. We have installed slow (in homes), fast (in streets and business centres) and ultra-fast (in service stations) charging points.

Take a look at our installations below.

An EV charging station is the same concept as a petrol station, but instead of supplying fossil fuels such as petrol or diesel, it supplies electricity.

Electric mobility is leading more and more petrol stations and service stations to make the transition to the electric system. This is not only an environmental awareness and commercial strategy, but is already a legal obligation.

Spanish Law 7/2021 makes it compulsory to install electric vehicle chargers at service stations, with a view to the development of electric mobility and the energy transition. In many cases, this means that service stations will have to increase their contracted power to ensure adequate service to customers. However, this is a problem, as it is generally costly, and not in all cases can be done, due to grid capacity constraints.

A cost-effective solution in line with the environmental objectives advocated by the energy transition is renewable energy.

In these cases, the alternative is to provide the necessary power to ensure the service of the electric vehicle chargers by means of an energy storage system in batteries. This energy can come from renewable and local sources, such as a photovoltaic system.

How it works

During solar production hours, the photovoltaic system charges the batteries. The energy is discharged, providing the power needed by the chargers, when an electric vehicle is refuelled. This avoids having to increase the contracted power from the grid. This system could even operate in isolation, i.e. without being connected to the grid.

In addition, the transition to an electro-power station has management systems that adapt the configuration of the different parts of the installation (recharging point, renewable generation, battery storage, purchase of energy from the grid, etc.) to the needs of each moment.

How we do it

As with all photovoltaic projects, it is essential to understand and study the customer’s needs in order to be able to offer the right advice and adjust the solution offered.

The aim is to find a solution that meets the end customer’s electricity charging needs in an efficient, reliable, sustainable and cost-effective manner.

Examples of completed projects