Tesla Chooses Hanergy Solar's Thin-film Products for its Supercharging System

BEIJING, April 23, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- At the recent delivery ceremony of Tesla's first batch of Chinese orders in Beijing, two PV charging systems caught the eyes of the guests. The system was requested by Tesla Motors, and designed and manufactured by Hanergy Solar Group. Hanergy thin-film flexible PV system was Tesla's first choice for the first PV Supercharger station in China. Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla Motors, said at the ceremony, "In the future, Tesla will work with partners to build supercharger network. The first charging station in Beijing was built in cooperation with Hanergy Solar Group. Tesla will continue to invest in the construction of superchargers in China, aiming to quickly expand the network."

Hanergy Solar Group will deliver two solar carports, each in Beijing and Jiading, Shanghai. The Beijing carport, a mobile carport designed to be assembled and transported, adopts Hanergy's GSE flexible thin-film solar modules. The Shanghai carport will be a fixed structure, and adopts Hanergy's MiaSole CIGS high-efficiency modules. The first phase of both carports has been completed.

In Elon Musk's first interview on "Dialogue," a China Central Television program, the American billionaire said that China is a key market and Tesla would make big investments in China, including investments in environment for charging, building seven super charging networks, and providing uninterrupted solar power supply 24 hours per day. The first batch of charging stations will be built up in cities like Beijing and Shanghai.

The PV charging system by Hanergy Solar Group protects vehicles like ordinary carports while converting sunlight into electricity utilizing its designated rooftop. At the same time, the system charges the electric vehicle through its energy storage system. The system uses the CIGS thin-film PV technology, the most advanced in the world. With conversion rates peaking at 20.5%, this technology offers light weight, flexibility, excellent low-light performance and advanced packaging. More importantly, no fixed column is required, which significantly reduces the cost. The carport is mobile, beautiful, modern in appearance, and a perfectly integrated to city surroundings, providing convenient and fast charging services to electric car owners.

Ms. Zhang Qingliang, Vice President of Hanergy Global Solar Power and Application Group said, "We are pleased to be the one to provide Tesla the first batch of solar powered Supercharging stations in China. As a technology-driven company, Hanergy has been actively exploring ways to utilize its thin-film photovoltaic technology to provide solutions through technological innovation and cross industrial integration. We have been working with multiple domestic and foreign automobile manufacturers to integrate solar, and is also researching on energy storage, photovoltaic car roof and other solar-automobile applications."

In his interview, Elon Musk also stressed that the charging stations that Tesla is building in China can work 24 hours per day. Utilizing solar power and energy storage systems, the charging stations reduce the impact of electric coal on environment. The batteries are charged during the daytime with solar power; then can supply power for vehicles at night. In fact, under the double pressure of escalating oil price and increasingly strict emission standards, the electric vehicle industry has become a strategic industry all over the world.

Electric coal is currently the dominating source of energy. The EV industry still suffers from the traditional energy supply pattern. Combining the electric automobile industry and that of renewable energy, the cooperation between Tesla and Hanergy is an active practice towards cross-industrial technological innovation. It is a first step towards freedom from the traditional energy pattern and the plight of traditional fossil energy on which the current electric auto industry relies upon.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140423/77553
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140423/77554

SOURCE Hanergy Solar Group