Kyocera Solar Cycle Station

[Lock]

In its standard version, the bike stand comes with a total of three solar modules and reaches a maximum output of 79.8V (operating current: 7.84A). Kyocera estimates that facing south, each station can produce up to 1.14kWh per day. The stand is designed for use with six e-bikes simultaneously.

Kyocera says that e-bike sales in Japan grew by over 50% in the last 5 years and that demand will grow even faster in the future, especially driven by e-bike rental services. But costing $23,000, their bike stand isn’t exactly cheap (it became available in Japan yesterday).

Seen here:
http://www.crunchgear.com/2010/11/1...tion-eco-friendly-stand-for-charging-e-bikes/

Kyocera press release (in Japanese) here:
http://www.kyocera.co.jp/news/2010/1101_qazx.html
tks
10cK

 

[John in CR]

I love the concept, but for a promo pick they didn't really install the solar panels vertically and under a shade tree, did they?

 

[dogman dan]

I just about blew snot on the monitor when I saw that pic. :lol: Japan is pretty dang far north, so the angle might not be as bad as it looks in winter. But surely it sucks in summer to mount vertical. But if that rack is facing south, the sun angle is pretty high for that tree to shade the rack.

Mo betta to mount the panels on a roof, that shelters the bikes I'd think.

 

[Lock]

This is the part I don't get:

...each station can produce up to 1.14kWh per day. The stand is designed for use with six e-bikes simultaneously.

For 6 bikes, that's only 190Wh per day per bike... If those are 36V 10Ah packs, say 90% discharged, then 324 Wh needed to fully charge. Almost two daze... in ideal conditions? No mention whether the system has storage to harvest while ebikes are in use... If so, completely diff. story. But AFAIK it makes more sense just to grid-tie panels unless in a remote location.

At least the vertical mount panels won't end up snow-covered part of the year.

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EDIT: Had a look at the Kyocera site... Googley translation:

This system is intended to charge the battery of battery-assisted bicycles to use electricity generated by solar cells, cloudy and rainy, when lack of power at night, or because it has the capability to cover the utility power and automatically makes it possible to be more stable power supply.

So, appears it is grid-tied.

 

[dogman dan]

I think the grid tie equipment is the only way to explain the price. That's the cost, grid tied, and installed. I thought it looked about the right size to charge at most, two bikes. This one is all about feeling green, and looking green.

 

[Samba]

Looks like 600 watts of panels, probably putting out 400 watts at that latitude. So they get maybe 3 hours of good sun? Maybe thats averaged to include cloudy days.

 

[Lock]

BUMP

ULVAC put out their press release in June:
http://www.ulvac.co.jp/eng/information/news/2011/20110628.html

ULVAC Has Launched the “Hybrid Cycle Pit,” a Battery Charging System for Power-Assisted Bicycles.
The System Integrates a Small Wind Power Generator and a Solar Power Generator and Will Be Installed in Chigasaki City Park.

June 28, 2011 ULVAC, Inc.
ULVAC, Inc. (Headquarters: Chigasaki, Kanagawa; President and CEO: Hidenori Suwa; hereinafter described as ULVAC) is pleased to announce that it has developed and launched a battery charging system for power-assisted bicycles by integrating a small wind power generator and a solar power generator, as renewable energy sources, and a battery charger. ULVAC will be installed the power-assisted bicycle charging station, named the “Hybrid Cycle Pit,” beside the baseball field in Chigasaki City Park. Chigasaki City will put the charging station into service in July 10, 2011.

But at the time, no picture...

Now this:
http://www.greenoptimistic.com/2011/07/05/ulvac-electric-bicycles-solar-charger/

ULVAC Inc recently announced that it has created and launched a very innovative battery-charging system for power-assisted bicycles by putting together a solar generator, a small wind power generator and a battery charger.

Called “Hybrid Cycle Pit,” the power-assisted bicycle charging station will be installed beside the baseball field in Chigasaki City Park, Japan. It will be into operation starting July 10, 2011.

...so looks like ULVAC took the Kyocera solar setup and pumped it up a notch adding the wind gen.

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