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The
EVric Holden Barina EV conversion
plugged in and charging on #2 charging station at the Adelaide
City Central Market (entry from Grote St).
The EVric Holden Barina EV conversion plugged in and charging
on #2 charging station at the Adelaide City Central Market.
A closer shot of both of the ChargePoint charging stations.
The Fuel Cell powered generator system next to the ChargePoint
parking spaces.
A close-up of the Recharging Station information (Photo: Bruce
White)
The following photos show the procedure for using the ChargePoint
unit ...
The female end of the 15Amp extension cord (or similar) is attached to the
car inlet.
The ChargePoint key tag or card is held near the "Hold Key
Here" label
to the right to activate the unit. (Photo: Bruce White)
After the card is recognised and passed authorisation the ChargePoint unit will
release the door latch ready to accept the 3
pin plug (15A)
The 15Amp 3 pin plug is then inserted - Note that clear
plugs should not be used with these units as the plug sensing
circuits may not see the clear plugs correctly.
Displayed message - Identification
Displayed message - Network
Displayed message - Instruction
Displayed message - Instruction
Displayed message - Status
Displayed message - After removing the plug...
There was a final message displayed after this to show the
full charge time.
ChargePoint portal login homepage showing map of available
ChargePoints !
ChargePoint portal webpage showing usage detail.
continuing from top
of page ...
The system, called BlueGen, will be able to generate at least
12,500 kilowatt hours of clean electricity each year. Excess
power not required for vehicle recharging will be fed into the
grid.
Brendan Dow, Managing Director of Ceramic Fuel Cells, the
company that developed the system, said that BlueGen is an
ideal companion technology to electric vehicles. “We think
BlueGen is an ideal “enabler” of EV charging stations, so we’d
like to do more similar installations,” he said in an e-mail
interview with Eco-Business.
About 25 BlueGen units are currently in operation around the
world, with the biggest market being Germany. This is the
first unit installed in South Australia and the first
curb-side EV charging application. Mr Dow says that the units’
biggest growth potential is with small-scale stationary power
generation such as in homes and commercial buildings.
Early users of electric vehicle charging stations are few in
number. They consist primarily of government and corporate
fleets. But with electric vehicles poised to enter the
mainstream, many more customers will be seeking ways to charge
their vehicles.
Adelaide has a number of charging stations already in place,
all of which are powered by the electricity grid, which in
Australia means primarily energy from highly-polluting coal.
Many of the stations have been installed by ChargePoint
Australia, an Australian company that provides infrastructure
for charging electric vehicle batteries in homes, businesses,
shopping centres and at curb-side bollards.
James Brown, chief executive officer of ChargePoint, is seeing
an increase in use of the charging stations in recent months
as awareness and availability of electric vehicles grow. He
estimates the number of electric vehicles on Australia’s roads
to be in excess of 500.
“The projections of EV’s sales from the various experts range
from 20% to 30% of new vehicle sales by 2020. 2012 is expected
to be the break year for EV’s,” he said.
Representatives of the Adelaide City Council told Eco-Business
that the project would enable the Council to evaluate the
potential contribution that domestic fuel cells could make to
supplying households and businesses with a consistent supply
of low emission, lower cost electricity for electric vehicle
charging and other uses.
At present, no definite plans are in place to install more of
the BlueGen-powered charging stations. ChargePoint, Ceramic
Fuel Cells, and the City Council are all waiting, along with
the rest of the world, to see if mainstream electric vehicle
models take off.
ChargePoint’s James Brown will be ready when if and when they
do: “We look forward to having ChargePoint working in concert
with the fuel cells in installations across Australia wherever
practical and pragmatic.”
Photos by Eric Rodda & Bruce White and report by
Eco-Business.com
with thanks going to the
Adelaide City Central Market Car Park,
Adelaide City Council, South Australian Government and ChargePoint Australia.
Local drivers interested in using this service should contact
Peter Nattrass at the Adelaide City Council p.nattrass@adelaidecitycouncil.com |