Any of us who have left their car in a sunny parking lot for a few hours and returned to an oven-like interior know that there's a lot of wasted energy right there. To make matters worse, we usually then crank up the A/C to compensate, increasing the environmental damage.

Well, here's a clever way to leave cars in shade and generate electricity at the same time: A solar-power-gathering parking lot. Above is a shot of a "Solar Grove" built by Envision Solar for Dell Computer's corporate headquarters in Texas. The panels not only generate juice for the facility, but are also connected to two CleanCharge stations that electric vehicles can plug into.

Hit the jump for the full press release, and a nine-minute video explaining the concept.

via autoblog

CleanCharge by Envision Solar from Envision Solar on Vimeo.

PRESS RELEASE:

Envision Solar Completes New Solar Shaded Parking Structure at Dell Headquarters -- Solar Trees® Produce More than 130kW of Clean Solar Power

Envision Solar International, Inc., the leader in solar integrated building systems, announced today the completion of a solar shaded parking structure of Solar Trees® at Dell's headquarters in Round Rock, TX. This configuration of Solar Trees®, called a Solar Grove®, is designed to produce more than 130kW of solar power, helping avoid 145,000 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions per year.

Round Rock, TX (PRWEB) October 20, 2009 -- Envision Solar International, Inc., the leader in solar integrated building systems, announced today the completion of a solar shaded parking structure of Solar Trees® at Dell's headquarters in Round Rock, TX. This configuration of Solar Trees®, called a Solar Grove®, is designed to produce more than 130kW of solar power, helping avoid 145,000 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions per year.

Led by a group of visionary architects, builders and engineers, Envision Solar transforms heat-absorbing parking areas into beautiful, efficient solar power plants. McBride Electric, the general contractor of the project, chose Envision Solar as its partner because of the company's success and experience in designing and installing aesthetically superior Solar Integrated Building Systems (SIBSâ„¢).

The Solar Trees®, located in the Dell employee parking lot, will simultaneously shade 50 parking spaces and generate clean electricity directly from the sun. In an example of Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology, the solar arrays also incorporate two Envision Solar CleanCharge™ solar charging stations utilizing Coulomb ChargPoint™ for Electric Vehicles (EVs) and Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs). Photos can be viewed here.

"Dell's commitment to environmental sustainability is a beacon to organizations worldwide. We're proud our Solar Trees® and CleanCharge™ solar charging stations can help serve as visible symbols of their environmental stewardship. The future of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles has arrived and our experience in solar innovation has allowed us to lead the market in the development of solar charging stations," said Robert Noble, CEO & Chairman of Envision Solar. Envision Solar partnered with McBride Electric Inc., BP Solar and The Weitz Company to design and build the Solar Grove®.

Mr. Noble of Envision Solar explained how more corporations, governments and institutions are viewing sustainability as a significant factor in the way their businesses manage and compete saying, "Dell's Solar Grove®, with CleanCharge® solar charging stations, presents a bold symbol of their commitment to a clean, healthy environment and a sustainable future for their employees, their community, their customers and the world. They should be applauded for their leadership and example."

For more information on Envision Solar, visit www.envisionsolar.com.

Envision Solar International Inc.: Envision Solar International, Inc has leveraged its core expertise in architecture, industrial design and structural technology innovation to build "solar you can see." The company is a solar project and technology developer providing turn-key design/build solutions for commercial, industrial, institutional and residential projects. Envision is a leader in Parking Lot Solar Arrays, and other solar installations which utilize public or residential space to positively impact the environment but are still pleasing to the eye and architecturally innovative. Envision has coined the term "Solar Integrated Building Systems" (SIBS™) to define the industry in which it operates. Envision also provides Sustainable Strategy and Sustainable Infrastructure Master Planning (SIMP™), which offers professional advisory and project management support in coordination and partnership with institutions, agencies and other parties participating in sustainability projects. Envision's mission is Solar Forestation and an end to energy poverty. Solar Tree®, Solar Grove®, CleanCharge™, SIBS™ and SIMP™ are trademarks of Envision Solar International, Inc. (http://envisionsolar.com/)

McBride Electric: San Diego, California based McBride Electric, Inc., through its network of branch and affiliate offices, proudly provides value-based power, data and alternative energy solutions to commercial and industrial customers in all fifty states, the U.S. territories and Canada. McBride Electric's employees, always focused on our core values of "Safety", "Ethics" and "Quality", provide on-site, on-time, and on-budget projects producing exceptional value for our customers, employees and stakeholders. http://www.mcbrideelectric.com/

BP Solar: BP Solar designs, manufactures and markets products which use the sun's energy to generate electricity for use in the residential, commercial and industrial sectors. With over 35 years of experience and installations in most countries, BP Solar is one of the world's leading solar companies. (bp.com)

The Weitz Company: Founded in 1855, The Weitz Company is a national full-service general contractor, design-builder and construction manager with offices in 11 states and Guam. The company's expertise includes office, retail, residential condominiums, tenant interiors, resort properties, parking structures, industrial, healthcare, education, government and mixed-use facilities. More information about The Weitz Company is available at http://www.weitz.com.