Hertz Gets Solar Powered EV Charging

• Tweet

Hertz Car Rental Company is planning to join a growing global trendtowards using solar energy as an alternative energy source to powerautomobiles.

As part of one of the largest solar projects that the travel industry has ever seen launched earlier this year, Hertz plans to completeinstallation of 2.3 megawatts (mW) of multi-crystalline solarphotovoltaics at 16 of its rental facilities across the United States in Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, NewJersey, New York, and Pennsylvania by late 2011.

And some of those facilities — including Hertz offices at DenverInternational Airport, where SolarChargedDriving.Com recently checked abrand new solar installation out — will likely see solar-powered EVcharging soon, according to Hertz sources interviewed for this story.

“Hertz is…committed to sustainable business practices," noted PaulaRivera, manager of Public Affairs at the Hertz Corporation. "Investingin solar energy for Hertz facilities makes good business sense.”

Solar costs and funding
Hertz is buying solarpanels for an estimated $10 million from the Chinese company, SolarFun,and has hired MartiferSolar, a Portugal-based company to complete thedesigns and installations.  

Richard Broome, the Senior Vice President of Hertz, has said that the company is taking full advantage of federal and local grants andrebates and anticipates seeing a return on investment (ROI) in five toseven years.

EV rentals
Hertz currently offers the Nissan LEAF and the 2011 Chevy Volt for rent in New York City and is expanding itsGlobal EV program to other heavily populated urban centers such asLondon, Washington D.C., and San Francisco. Corporate and universitycustomers have also recently begun to utilize the company’s EV services, according to Rivera.

Additional EVs will be incorporated into the Global EV program as the company expands. The company also anticipates the incorporation of EVsin its municipal and local government car sharing fleets in the nearfuture.
    
To incentivize the rentals of EVs, the companyoffers use of its EVs at a promotional rate. From there, hourly ratesare priced in relation to its other vehicles.

A solar inverter that is part of a 235 kW solar system at Hertz’ branchat Denver International Airport. [Photo Credit: Jenna Johnson]

Solar at Denver International Airport
As the first part of the solar initiative, Hertz installed a 235-kilowatt(kW) solar electric system at Denver International Airport (DIA). 1,073solar panels comprise the system and cover two rooftops.

According to Rivera, the solar system at DIA is currently used tosupply the company’s location with electricity. However, as theinfrastructure matures at the DIA branch Hertz anticipates the companywill eventually use its solar system to charge EVs.

According to Andy Bullock, Purchasing Manager at the HertzCorporation at DIA, the solar panels at the airport currently cover 30%of the electricity costs of the facility. The costs of the solar panelsat DIA were primarily subsidized by Xcel Energy’s solar rebate programin Colorado.   

The solar power generated by the photovoltaic panels is converted to electricity through two separate solar intverters.  

FAA & solar at airports
Any additional panels would need to be made affordable by rebates and approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), according to Bullock. Though the solarpanels have an anti-reflective coating, potential distraction to pilotsremains an important FAA concern at airports such as DIA.

Hertz does not currently rent plug-in vehicles at DIA. However, itoffers several hybrid vehicles, including the 2011 Toyota Prius, the2011 Toyota Camry, and the 2011 Nissan Altima.

Bullock says these hybrids are extremely popular with Hertzcustomers, and he anticipates similar consumer interest in EVs in thefuture.

Hertz implements many other sustainable business practices at DIA aswell, including reclaiming and reusing water, as well as converting oldtires to use as mulch, according to Bullock.

Rivera says that she has noticed “great [consumer] interest in thedepth of the Hertz solar program as it’s one of the most far reachingprograms in the industry.”

The fusion of solar power and EVs
As thecompany’s solar project develops, Hertz hopes to adopt additionalsustainable practices by integrating its solar facilities with its EVsin order to fully harness its environmental initiatives, Rivera notes.

This will likely translate to the construction of solar-powered EVcharging stations at Hertz facilities around the world, including DIA,as the company continues to rent out more EVs.

Rivera believes that there are “definite possibilities in integrating solar power into an EV eco-system,” and that as industries mature thefuture will inevitably see a greater fusion of the two.

Original Article on SolarChargedDriving.Com

Related:::

1. Brazil’s First Electric Charging Stations Will Be Solar Powered
2. Toyota to develop solar-powered charging station for EVs
3. SunPods to Unveil Solar Powered EV Charging Station
4. Geotectura’s Gasoline Station Offering Solar Powered EV Charging
5. New York boasts of its first solar-powered electric vehicle (EV) charging station
6. Samba Energy Supports Hertz Solar Program
7. Envision Solar Teams Up With Renewvia Energy for Solar Powered EV Charging