Envision Solar International Inc., a designer and developer of sustainable infrastructure, has commenced the installation of electric-vehicle (EV)-charging-enabled solar-tracking trees at Axion Power International's facility in western Pennsylvania.
The installation is being financed through a Pennsylvania state grant to fund the deployment of the EnvisionTrak and CleanCharge Solar Trees. It is expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2011.
According to Envision Solar, the installation will enable the companies to learn more about the characteristics of solar energy in the region and how to better tie solar energy to Axion's Power Cube system. The technical focus will be on the load management and power smoothing required due to the intermittency of solar resources.
Envision Solar's Solar Tree with EnvisionTrak is a parking-lot solar array that incorporates solar tracking into the primary structure of its canopy. The solution tracks the movement of the sun throughout the day, which is an improvement over static solar arrays, which only generate a maximum output when the sun is at its peak, the companies explain.
SOURCES: Envision Solar, Axion Power International
