New-energy district Jinwan getting EV solar chargers

Efficient charging of electric vehicles is becoming available at a Hongqi Town charging station in Jinwan District due to pioneering use of distributed solar photovoltaic power generation and conventional power supply.

The first demonstration project of its kind in Zhuhai will also afford internet access and phone charging. The resting area will open soon, said to be complete with comfortable furnishings.  

Located on Nanxiang Road, the 715-sq-m charging station allows slow and quick charge via six 60 kW direct-current and four 7 kW alternating-current piles. 

Motorists merely need to connect their cars to the charging post. Payment and charging status can be accessed via a mobile app developed by Guangdong Power Grid Corp. A download link will appear once the code is scanned. 

Direct-current integrated charger [Photo by Zhang Zhou / Zhuhai Daily]

Solar PV panels on a canopy roof convert sunlight into electricity to provide supplemental power in addition to energy from the municipal power grid.

The PV panels can generate 150 kWh daily with average peak power of 50 kW, and can recharge six to eight small electric cars daily.

An additional five charging stations will be built across Jinwan before the end of 2018 to pave the way for further development of new-energy automobiles, according to a local official.

Jinwan is the home of ZTE Smart Auto, a major producer of electric buses, and Zhuhai Yinlong Energy, a leader in new-energy vehicles and power storage.