SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR INTEGRATION OF ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS WITH PHOTOVOLTAIC, WIND, HYDRO, THERMAL AND OTHER ALTERNATIVE ENERGY GENERATION EQUIPMENT
In accordance with one aspect of the embodiments described herein, there are provided systems and methods for integration of electric vehicle charging stations with photovoltaic, wind, hydro, thermal and other alternative energy generation equipment. In various embodiments, the aforesaid integration is used to perform balancing of the electrical power generated by the aforesaid photovoltaic, wind, hydro, thermal and other alternative energy generation equipment and the electrical power consumed by the aforesaid EVSE equipment. In one exemplary embodiment, the aforesaid balancing may be performed on a house (building) level. In another exemplary embodiment, the balancing may be performed on a neighborhood level.
1 . A system for charging an electric or hybrid-electric vehicle, the system comprising:
a. at least one vehicle charging station electrically connectable to the vehicle and operable to charge the vehicle using an electrical power;
b. at least one source of alternative electrical energy providing an alternative electrical power; and
c. a control server comprising at least one processing unit and a memory and communicatively coupled to the at least one vehicle charging station and the at least one source of alternative electrical energy via a data network, the control server receiving a reading from the source of alternative electrical energy via the data network, wherein the control server controls the vehicle charging station by issuing a charge control command via the data network to charge the vehicle such as to achieve balancing of the electrical power drawn by the vehicle charging station against the alternative electrical power generated by the source of alternative electrical energy.
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