Powering electric vehicles (EVs) is not a simple endeavor. The charging stations require a lot of energy from centralized power networks. More states are dealing with shortages as hot and cold temperatures push people to use more heat or air-conditioning. The best way to tackle this dilemma is to find a way to charge off the grid. Meet the PairTree from Paired Power.
The PairTree is a deployable solar canopy system with battery storage to use the sun for substantial EV charging. According to CEO Tom McCalmont, “The amount of energy that’s needed to move electric vehicles is more than is available in the grid.”
Harnessing solar energy makes PairTree an attractive solution for EV charging because it can be readily installed in public spaces and doesn’t have to be hooked up to the grid to be powered.
It contains a 40-kilowatt battery and can store up to 230 miles of range while giving back 75 miles to EVs. That’s 45 more miles over the national average. You can power your car during the day when the sun is strongest, and when nighttime comes around, charging will still be accessible because of the battery storage.
One aspect of PairTree that makes it stand out from other charging stations is the cost. The labor for installing the system is significantly lower and takes less time. The company boasts that it only needs two workers with hand tools to install it. There’s also less red tape to jump through, as canopies do not require permits for construction because no digging or connecting wires are needed.
“We designed PairTree to eliminate these hassles and make the transition to solar and EV charging simple and scalable while also being modular enough to accommodate future needs,” McCalmont explained. Solar energy makes PairTree much cheaper to operate and maintain without having to deal with linking it up to the existing grid.
Timelapse of PairTree installations,Video Courtesy: Paired Power
One of the bipartisan infrastructure bill’s goals is to get 500,000 EV chargers online by 2030. Employing a system that can easily be set up and collapsed would speed up this process significantly.
It’s estimated that it would take 30 million chargers to keep up with the rate at which EVs are being manufactured and purchased. PairTree’s modular design could be a popular choice for upscaled charging infrastructure.
The area PairTree will probably have the biggest impact is cross-country freight hauling. Electric trucks are expected to replace diesel and other internal-combustion vehicles, increasing the need for public stations.
Truck stops are ideal locations for solar canopies. Nighttime charging works for those traveling during the early morning hours or those pulling off the interstate for the night. The battery storage system will help with overnight charging, which research speculates will be truckers’ preferred time to power up.
Paired Power expects to deliver PairTree orders made in the fall of 2022 in the second quarter of 2023.
