Urban Green Energy (UGE) and GE announced today the introduction of the Sanya Skypump, an Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station that will bring together the technology of GE’s WattStation™ and UGE’s Sanya hybrid wind/solar streetlamp. The Skypump will enable owners of electric vehicles to charge their cars from a renewable energy source, gaining certainty from the often-uncertain origin of grid power.
With the mainstreaming of electric vehicles, a major challenge to greater adoption has been the lack of an adequate charging infrastructure. The Skypump helps alleviate this concern by providing an easy-to-implement solution that can seamlessly fit alongside roads and in parking lots, including those already being fitted with Sanya street lights.
“Building upon the success of the GE WattStation™, GE continuously is seeking evolutionary EV solutions,” said Michael Mahan, product general manager at GE Energy Industrial Solutions. “By marrying the elegant design of UGE’s Sanya Streetlamp with the GE WattStation™, we have enabled the further adoption of electric vehicles by making access to renewable power easier.”
“Our collaborative efforts with GE Energy have resulted in the breakthrough Sanya Skypump, which is powered by the energy available in both the wind and the sun,” said Poul Heilmann, head of business development at UGE. “Consumers’ concerns for a more environmentally friendly form of transportation include the source of power for the electric car. The Skypump uses a UGE-4K wind turbine along with solar panels to offset a significant amount of the usage of a commercial charging site," he continued. “We are thrilled to be partnering with GE Energy in bringing innovative and elegant design to enhance the adoption of renewable energy technology while minimizing the impact on the environment.”
UGE will be installing the first units of the Sanya Skypump beginning this fall in New York, Beijing, and Barcelona with the planned worldwide roll-out in early 2012. The Skypump is designed with commercial users in mind, while residential users can use a combination of the UGE-4K wind turbine and the GE’s wall mounted WattStation™ to ensure their electric vehicle is powered by green energy.
The wall mounted GE WattStation™ Electric Vehicle Charging Station is a fast-charging, easy-to-use solution for residential applications. It is designed for new home and garage construction and can be installed in the garage or outside, as well as retrofitted into existing homes. This Level 2 charger provides an end-to-end solution for consumer electric-vehicle users. It fully charges an electric vehicle in just four to eight hours, compared with standard overnight charging.
The UGE Sanya streetlamp, introduced in December 2010 and already installed around the world, enables municipalities and commercial customers to deliver needed lighting while disconnected from the grid. To complement Sanya, UGE recently introduced The Boardwalk, a lighting solution for parks and pathways. With the Sanya Skypump, UGE and GE have provided a product that allows for placement of charging stations in a variety of locations convenient to consumers’ recharging needs.
Urban Green Energy is a global leader in distributed wind energy systems, with installations spanning more than 50 countries. UGE designs, manufactures and markets cutting-edge vertical axis wind turbines as well as hybrid wind and solar street lamps with a track record of high performance, safety, and reliability. UGE-trained representatives can answers questions, supply UGE products, and provide post-sales support locally, no matter where our customers are located.
