Are Superchargers Renewably Powered Where Available?

[Evbwcaer]

For example, the Supercharger in Albert Lea, MN is in the Freeborn Mower Cooperative Services territory and they offer their Evergreen program. The program adds $1.50/100kwh and generates energy from wind, animal waste, landfill gas, and hydro. Does anybody know if Tesla is taking advantage of these types of programs where available?

Thanks

 

[cpa]

Personally, no. A few locations like Ft. Tejon, Rocklin Service Center, Barstow, Hawthorne (maybe Inyokern) have solar panels atop the canopy that covers the charging station. It is likely that these installations do not furnish all the electricity needed to charge our cars, especially during heavy usage. (There have been a couple of other threads devoted to this.) I understand that Tesla eventually wants to have battery storage at the Supercharger sites to be able to store any self-generated electricity and also to be able to download electricity during off-peak hours when juice is cheaper and perhaps also to level out the demand spike charges. At one time it was Tesla's goal to have renewables generate all the electricity utilized by the Supercharger network, if I recall correctly.

As far as being able to select how the electricity is generated that goes into charging our cars, I do not know for sure. Probably a way to find out would be to find a SC under construction and ask one of the crew members or the public utility that covers the area when the utility comes around to do their thing.

Good question!

 

[AMPd]

Personally, no. A few locations like Ft. Tejon, Rocklin Service Center, Barstow, Hawthorne (maybe Inyokern) have solar panels atop the canopy that covers the charging station. It is likely that these installations do not furnish all the electricity needed to charge our cars, especially during heavy usage. (There have been a couple of other threads devoted to this.) I understand that Tesla eventually wants to have battery storage at the Supercharger sites to be able to store any self-generated electricity and also to be able to download electricity during off-peak hours when juice is cheaper and perhaps also to level out the demand spike charges. At one time it was Tesla's goal to have renewables generate all the electricity utilized by the Supercharger network, if I recall correctly.

As far as being able to select how the electricity is generated that goes into charging our cars, I do not know for sure. Probably a way to find out would be to find a SC under construction and ask one of the crew members or the public utility that covers the area when the utility comes around to do their thing.

Good question!

The Rocklin service center has A LOT of solar panels. It's not just a canopy over the chargers, the panels go around the entire building

 

[David99]

It makes no difference. It makes no difference where solar panels and wind mills are. The thing with pollution and CO2 is that it makes little to no difference where it is blown in the air. Every solar panel, every wind mill, every hydro or geo-thermal power plant offsets burning fossil fuel. Renewable energy isn't a localized thing.

I know we always want to see the solar panels right at the supercharger to be able to say, look I'm charging from the sun, but it really doesn't matter where the solar panels are.

 

[mknox]

In Ontario, Canada consumers can opt for energy contracts, some of which are from green energy providers. If you don't opt for an energy retailer, your power comes via a standard connection agreement that sources power from the IESO controlled grid at market rates. As far as I know, Tesla has not opted into green energy contracts, which are typically more expensive, and are just taking standard supply service from the utility.

 

[DrGuest]

The Quote from Elon concerning the Superchargers has always been, "Free Long Distance Travel, Forever, Powered by Sunlight."

 

[mknox]

The Quote from Elon concerning the Superchargers has always been, "Free Long Distance Travel, Forever, Powered by Sunlight."

Yeah, but my guess is that they do it through offsets. Plug in to the "dirty" grid here, and inject a comparable amount of clean solar into the grid there.

 

[ddimit]

The dirty little secret is that those solar panels at superchargers no where come even close to offsetting the power usage at a supercharger site.

For Example a 8kw solar system (aprox 24 3x5 panels) has inverter output for a 8kwh system is max of 28 amps. Hardly a dent in the draw of almost dead pack which will draw in the 300+ amp range.

The Solar is basically for show and maybe some grid offset if it a lightly used Supercharger.

 

[SmartElectric]

In Ontario, Canada consumers can opt for energy contracts, some of which are from green energy providers

That's what I do. I am a "BullFrog" power customer. All of the electricity use for my home and EV are powered by wind, solar and small run of the river hydro. I also pay for their natural gas product which sources natural gas from landfill. Effectively, these are offsetting my usage, and I pay a premium separate from my regular bills. Glad to do it. I can use my purchasing power to get these projects on the grid.

If you don't opt for an energy retailer, your power comes via a standard connection agreement that sources power from the IESO controlled grid at market rates

The Ontario grid is one of the cleanest in the world in terms of CO2/kWh. Obviously behind places like Quebec, but not that far behind...
as per :
Gridwatch | Web App

21g/kWh of power production right now, that is >>10x better than many other large industrial areas of the world for example

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Just assume no. Tesla is too busy scrambling to get to Gen 3 to spend money on significant renewables.

 

[fawu]

Just assume no. Tesla is too busy scrambling to get to Gen 3 to spend money on significant renewables.

It depends. In Germany for example the 39 Superchargers are powered by renewable energy through the utility that Tesla selected as their electricity provider.