SR-55 Improvements - Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station

Caltrans District 12 is sponsoring a project on State Route 55 in Orange, California that includes the construction of an overhead canopy with solar panels and other electric improvements to support Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations at an existing Park and Ride facility.  The EV charging station consists of system of electrical components including photovoltaic solar panels, transformers, inverter, charge controller, and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS).  The EV charging station also includes a connection to the power grid for an additional power source.  The EV charging station will capable of operating in several modes including 1) obtaining power from the grid when the solar panel/BESS cannot provide power, 2) obtaining power from the solar panels during daytime hours, 3) obtaining power from the BESS during hours of darkness or cloud cover, and 4) solar panels provide power back to the power grid when the BESS is at full capacity.

As a subconsultant, ADVANTEC provided the design services (PS&E) to ensure that the electrical improvements were compatible with the existing technologies provide the required power for 36 charging stations. This station is a Level 2 (240 V) allows motorists to park their electrical vehicle for 8 hours while ridesharing during the day. The project also included civil improvements to accommodate the BESS enclosure and the solar canopy structures.  The project required close coordination with the Caltrans Headquarters, Caltrans District 12, and the California State Fire Marshal to obtain approvals related to fire safety.   

Key Features:

•     Photovoltaic Solar Panels

•     Voltage Inverters

•     Charge Controllers

•     Battery Energy Storage System (BESS)

•     Connections to existing electrical service points

•     Electrical Circuit Breaker Panel