Integrating EV Charging into a Solar Carport: UK Guide
Here's how the design, finance and operational pieces of adding EV charging to a solar carport fit together.
Why integrate EV at all
Three reasons: (1) Behind-the-meter solar — chargers draw from carport-generated electricity at an indicative ~10p/kWh effective cost vs 47p/kWh grid retail; (2) Staff/visitor amenity — charging is a visible benefit for staff and visitors; (3) OZEV grant — £500 per socket since 1 April 2026, up to 40 sockets, recoverable as part of project capex.
Charger type and mix
Three workplace-relevant types: 7 kW (single-phase, all-day staff charging); 22 kW (three-phase, visitor/short-dwell); 50 kW DC rapid (fleet/depot). A workplace mix is usually weighted toward 7 kW sockets, with fewer 22 kW and a small number of DC rapids, but the right mix depends on dwell times. Retail/hospitality leans more toward 22 kW for shorter dwell.
Dynamic load management
Critical for sites with constrained AC infrastructure. SMA Energy Manager, Solis Energy Manager, or OpenEVSE controllers balance EV charger demand against available solar plus site headroom in real time. Without this, you risk tripping the main breaker when chargers and lifts/HVAC peak simultaneously.
OZEV Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS)
OZEV WCS grants £500 per socket (since 1 April 2026), up to 40 sockets per applicant — £20,000 maximum per WCS application. Eligibility: any UK business with registered workplace and dedicated off-street parking.
Charge billing models
(1) Free to staff — simplest, treated as workplace benefit. (2) Paid by staff — typically 10-15p/kWh delivered, billed monthly via app. (3) Paid by visitors — typically 30-55p/kWh delivered, branded as your concession via OCPP-compliant operator (Osprey, BP Pulse, Mer). Hospitality typically room-billed via PMS integration.
Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) readiness
Bi-directional chargers (Wallbox Quasar, EO Genius 2 V2G) allow fleet vehicles to discharge back to site in evening peak. Useful where you have time-of-use tariffs. Limited V2G-capable EV models today (Nissan LEAF, Kia EV6, Hyundai IONIQ 5/6).
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