The Spanish city of Barcelona has rolled out the first electric vehicle (EV) 50kW fast-charging locations that will be powered by rooftop solar and from the energy derived from the braking of trains on the city’s Metro trainline.
Located on the promenade of the Marina de l’Hospitalet de Llobregat, close to the Line 1 Metro-stop Bellvitge, the charging station has two 50kW chargers and two parking spaces, each with three connectors that can be used simultaneously for a maximum of 30 minutes, 1 hour, or 2 hours, depending on the connector used.
The MetroCharge program has been conceived by the Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona, the main public transit operator in Barcelona.
AMB’s MetroCharge program has wide-ranging ambitions, including plans for fifteen 100kW ultra-fast chargers and ten 7.2kW semi-fast chargers and eight ultra-fast 150kW chargers with storage capacity, all of which will be powered by energy recovered through the Barcelona Metro’s regenerative braking system.
MetroCharge also plans to build five rooftop solar PV systems which will provide additional electricity for its EV chargers.
Each MetroCharge location will be integrated into the the Àrea Metropolitana de Barcelona (AMB) network of electrolineras, or “electric lines”, which act as service points for each EV charging station. This network of electric lines is powered by 100 per cent renewable energy sources.
According to AMB, more than 100,000kWh of energy was distributed during June across its electric lines, facilitating 6,100 EV charging sessions.
AMB’s EV charging network currently boasts 52 stations across 41 municipalities that are capable charging up to 178 vehicles simultaneously. By year’s end, AMB plans to be operating 102 electric lines across its public network of EV charging points, allowing for 367 EVs to charge at the same time.
Joshua S. Hill is a Melbourne-based journalist who has been writing about climate change, clean technology, and electric vehicles for over 15 years. He has been reporting on electric vehicles and clean technologies for Renew Economy and The Driven since 2012. His preferred mode of transport is his feet.