SLO ELECTRICAL CHARGING GARAGE
ABOUT THE PROJECT
On the corner of Palm and Nipomo, a five floor parking structure is under early planning and development. The design of the structure is in the middle of adding multiple parking spots dedicated to charging electric vehicles and a solar photo-voltaic system to assist in the power consumption. Our role will be to analyze and provide technical support regarding the infrastructure of the charging stations and energy needs of the electric vehicle owners. The Project Manager who has allowed us to assist in this project is ​Richard Burde who will give us context on what has been done.
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More info regarding the floor plan of the parking structure can be found below:
CONTEXT AND BACKGROUND
San Luis Obispo has declared to be carbon neutral by the year 2035. ​Seen as a very ambitious goal, this means that San Luis Obispo will aim to have the majority of its electricity generated by renewable energy like wind and solar. The city has joined the Monterey Bay Community Power, which is a regional public agency that provides carbon-free electricity for PG&E. Since the price of photovoltaics has decreased dramatically over the past few decades, and electric vehicle sales are expected to continue growing, there is a growing need to incentivize charging with carbon-neutral electricity. This will assist in continuing to decrease GHG emission from transportation.
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As SLO has committed to be carbon neutral by 2035, a greater demand for electric vehicle charging stations will be needed. If these vehicles were to be charged at night, the reduction of GHGs by switching from a standard petroleum engine to an electric vehicle will not be as effective. Electric vehicles reduce GHGs based on the source of electricity on the grid during charging. By charging at night, the power for generation can not be provided by the large assistance of carbon-free solar power on the California grid. Instead, the power generation at night is dependent on the wing energy generation and natural gas to provide the rest. With this parking structure providing more EV charging, there is greater incentive for people to charge their vehicles during the day while they are out exploring the city or at work. Because of this, San Luis Obispo now requires a parking lot with more than 25 spaces to have 10% EV ready and 35% EV capable for their goals of being carbon neutral.
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US Sales of Electric Vehicles by Year
MEET THE GROUP!
Joe, Sydney, Javier, and Spencer
Joe Kennedy: I am a third year Physics Major with a Philosophy Minor. I enjoy studying sustainability, clean energy, and environmental issues in today's times. My free time is spent reading, biking, hiking, and climbing. I try to get out to Yosemite National Park as much as possible to work on my climbing skills.
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Sydney Limberg: I am a second year General Engineering major from Chico, CA with a love of nature. I enjoy hiking and anything that gets me outdoors. I'm passionate about doing all we can to protect our planet while meeting the needs of society.
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Javier Harrison: I am a 4th year Electrical Engineering major from the San Joaquin Valley. My hobbies include playing and listening to music, watching TV shows, and socializing with friends. Understanding our dependence on the Earth is important and we need to work on reducing our footprint.
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Spencer Esparza: I am a 5th year Electrical Engineering major from Ventura County with a passion for sustainability, automation, and efficiency. I enjoy surfing and exercising in my free time, as well as undertaking restoration and DIY passion projects.
"All energy is ultimately derived from the Sun and harvesting it directly through solar power seems to be the best way to transition to renewable energy."
Peter Rive
PHOTOVOLTAIC SOLAR PANELS
Square feet available for solar installation: 17,000 max available (1600 m^2) to be classified as an accessory. If more area were to be used, this would classify the solar coverage as a roof, which would require a floor of the garage to be removed due to a max height zoning requirement of 55ft.
Total power generation available: 260 kW
Cost of solar: $3 per watt (95% of the cost is installation and mounting hardware)
Expected annual generation: 433,000 kWh
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A solar roof system can also provide shaded parking for the top floor
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ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATION INFO
The city of San Luis Obispo has a total of 99 Electric Vehicle Charging Stations. Of those stations, 86.87% are Type 2 Charging Stations. The remaining stations are Type 3, meaning that they are DC Fast Charging. 37 of the total public stations available in San Luis Obispo are fee free.
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With the structure's current design options, it will add anywhere from 41 to 368 new EV charging stations. The options are further discussed in the Overview and Analysis, with a final calculated recommendation from the team in the Conclusion.
CONTACT ME
San Luis Obispo, CA, USA
Sydney Limberg
Spencer Esparza
esparzaspencer@gmail.com
Javier Harrison
javiharrison37@gmail.com
Joe Kennedy
37JoeJoe37@gmail.com