How to set up solar EV charging for your clients

Will Ruddick is the senior engineer behind ev.energy’s Solar Charging and Home Energy Management solutions, enabling thousands of drivers to make energy work for them. 

What’s in this guide? 

• Intro to solar EV charging
• Software vs hardware solutions
• Understanding solar modes
• Get started guide

There has never been a better time to invest in solar panels. 

As the energy crisis continues to bite, homeowners are looking for smart ways to reduce their bills - and many are turning to solar power.

Combining solar with an electric vehicle goes a step further. 

With the right setup, consumers can maximize the return on their investment by soaking up every kWh of solar-generated electricity with their car.

So - how can you help? Keep reading to find out.

Get the right tech

The first thing you need to consider is whether you’re looking to offer software or hardware functionality, or both.

The software approach uses live solar forecasting to predict the solar energy being produced by the solar array. The home charger can then adjust the charge rate to match this.

The hardware approach integrates a CT clamp to provide real-time data from the home. The CT clamp is positioned on the meter inlet to read how much solar power is being exported. The charger can then adjust the charge rate in real-time to match this exported power.

Choose software for the quickest setup

The ev.energy software-only Solar Charging feature can be added to any Internet-connect charger - even after installation - without any need to upgrade the hardware.

Our software approach uses highly-accurate solar irradiance forecasts, rather than standard weather forecasts, to accurately predict solar generation at the individual household level. This includes live satellite data and weather prediction models which are updated every few minutes to account for passing cloud coverage.

We then combine the home energy usage to adjust the charge rate accordingly, which allows users to enjoy solar charging and reduce grid imports to virtually zero.

Want to get started quickly? Add Solar Charging to any charger in seconds, right from the Pando charger management platform.

Choose hardware for even greater precision

A hardware solution will provide the most accurate solar charging. 

This solution is perfect for clients who are counting every kWh to avoid importing expensive grid energy. 

We find that customers love Solar Charging, but many are keen to know the exact amount of solar going into their car.

To enable this, you’ll need to attach a CT clamp to the meter inlet so that the charger can read how much solar generation is being exported.
With ev.energy’s Solar Charging functionality built-in, this solar generation can then be redirected into the client’s vehicle instead - allowing them to benefit from free, green home-grown energy.

Ready to get started? Check out our list of compatible chargers.

Provide two powerful solar modes

During our beta trial with 2039 of our app users, we found that different people had very different preferences.

To make it easy, we’ve broken this down into two straightforward solar modes. 

Solar Smart - a full charge every time

Some users may be keen to soak up their solar generation but must always have their car charged for their commute or the school run. Solar Smart is perfect for this, as it combines Solar Charging with our Smart Charging functionality.
This means that every charge will be optimized based on their home solar generation where possible, but our system will also account for their preferred ready-by time and switch to energy from the grid if required to charge in time.

Solar Smart uses solar forecasts, electricity price, carbon intensity, grid intensity, and the user's ready-by time to deliver a full charge at the lowest price each time, while also protecting the energy grid and the planet.

Solar-Only - for 100% solar-powered EV charging

Alternatively, some prefer to only charge with home solar and have more flexibility about when their car is charged. That’s where Solar Only comes in.

This mode will only charge the users’ vehicle when they are generating solar energy at home, which enables the user to cut the costs and carbon emissions from their EV charging to zero.
However, during less sunny periods, it may take longer to achieve a full charge. 

Thankfully, the ev.energy Solar Charging solution has been built to suit the different preferences of your customers. From the ev.energy app, drivers can set their preferred mode, along with their desired charge level and a ready-by time for each day of the week.

Our approach to solar charging

Solar charging plays an important role in our mission to connect everyone to cheaper, simpler, greener EV charging.

We know that customers are looking for ways to save money on their energy bills and our system has been built with this in mind. By automatically charging when the sun is shining, customers can make the most of every kWh and avoid any energy going to waste.
This saves customers money on their energy bills, but also helps them to protect the energy grid and the environment too.

The ev.energy app is loved by 100,000 users across the globe and gives drivers the control to set their preferences and track every charge in detail - including where the energy has come from, how much it cost, and how much carbon was saved.

As we continue to grow and improve our solar charging functionality, we’re giving everyone the chance to see what’s coming soon and have their say with our Solar Product Roadmap.

Get started with solar today

Information for home builders

New homeowners are looking for smart, clean energy solutions to keep their bills low for years to come.

With over-the-air updates, ev.energy provides a future-proof solar charging solution which only gets better over time.

Message our team to get more information about the ideal hardware and installation services for your next project.

Information for installers

Give your clients the power to cut costs and carbon through solar charging, without any extra costs or time on site.

Learn more about our services for EV charging installers or get in touch with our team to find compatible hardware solutions for your clients’ needs.

Information for charger manufacturers

Upgrade the value of your products with industry-leading solar charging functionality from ev.energy.
Learn more about our services for EV charger manufacturers or contact us to discuss your requirements.

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