The energy company EDP, in partnership with BYD and Unesp (São Paulo State University), has developed the first Brazilian electric bus powered by solar energy for commercial purposes. The vehicle, designed at the Pecém Thermal Power Plant in Ceará, uses a battery bank that guarantees a range of 300 km for transporting the vehicle.
According to the company, the charging is done in the EDP parking lot, using a carport fitted with 183 solar panels. The bus is being used to transport employees between Fortaleza and São Gonçalo do Amarante, where the company's thermal power plant is located. The pilot project, which involved an investment of R$4,85 million, has a BYD chassis and a Marcopolo body.
“EDP aims to lead the energy transition in the country, and electric mobility has received special attention. The solar electric bus is an innovation that shows the potential of this sustainable solution for urban and mass road transport”, said Cayo Moraes, executive operations manager at EDP in Brazil.
“With a range of 300 km, it is possible for operators to travel short and medium distances with great performance, thanks to the availability and economy of charging compared to similar combustion engines”, highlighted Marcello Schneider, director of BYD’s bus division.
For the executive, this is an excellent opportunity for the charter market to invest in non-polluting mobility, which not only improves air quality in cities, but also directly impacts the health of the population.
Application of OPV
The second phase of the project foresees the application, on the roof of the vehicle, of OPVs (organic photovoltaic films). This technology allows installation in different locations and surfaces, such as windows, furniture, doors and walls.
“It is a set of layers printed using a solution on a substrate, which can be rigid like glass or flexible like plastic. There are countless application possibilities”, said Rogério Duarte, specialist in BIPV (Photovoltaic Integration in Civil Construction) and advisor to ABGD (Brazilian Association of Distributed Generation).
According to EDP, the cells on the roof of the bus will be tested in the climatic conditions existing in the Northeast, with the purpose of supplying part of the consumption of services inside the bus, such as charging cell phones and other technological peripherals.
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