From the Laboratory to the Market: Considerations on the Electrical Safety of A Prototype of Off-Grid Charging Station for E-Bikes

Abstract

The objective of decarbonizing the transportation sector advocates the integration of renewable power sources in a widespread infrastructure of electric vehicles charging stations, which might fulfill users' demand, thus counteracting the so-called range anxiety associated to the electric mobility. Such perspective poses additional specific challenges in the operation of power systems. Hence, the idea of strengthening the charging stations infrastructure with off-grid technologies has recently been attracting an increasing attention. Stand-alone charging stations powered by renewable sources are definitely more suitable if the power demand is low, as in the case of light electric vehicles, because it is more likely that the charging demand can successfully be fulfilled. Despite a certain number of studies has been devoted to the design of stand-alone charging stations for light electric vehicles, there is a research gap regarding all the aspect which go from the laboratory to the market, as for example electrical safety. Based on such premise, the present paper addresses electrical safety issues and specific risk analysis for the case of a stand-alone charging station for light electric vehicles powered by PhotoVoltaics and equipped with a storage system, of which a prototype was built at the University of Brescia, Italy. A comparison between European and American regulatory frameworks was performed, underlining main differences in terms of certification and market readiness among the two geographical areas. The analysis considers the station to have potential in promoting sustainable micromobility by filling infrastructure gaps and supporting the transition toward greener urban and remote transportation systems.