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EcoCharge - Smart Campus EV Charging

 

EcoCharge — Powering mobility, cutting carbon.

As electric vehicles (EVs) become more common among students and staff, campuses face a growing challenge: inadequate charging infrastructure. Existing setups often have long queues, inefficient energy use, and no integration with renewable energy sources. This discourages EV adoption, increases dependence on fossil-fuel vehicles, and creates avoidable downtime for students.

Current solutions and why they don’t work

  • Basic plug-in stations: First-come, first-served; no smart queueing or load balancing.

  • Paid public chargers: Expensive and far from campus, making them impractical for daily use.

  • Standalone solar charging pilots: Not integrated with demand management or campus energy grids.

These gaps make EV charging unreliable and unsustainable, reducing the incentives for greener mobility.

Proposed solution and why it works better

EcoCharge is a smart EV charging network designed specifically for campuses. It manages demand through real-time scheduling, integrates with rooftop solar or renewable energy inputs, and uses an app to optimize charging slots. Unlike conventional charging, EcoCharge ensures fair access, maximizes green energy usage, and provides transparent billing.

Who it benefits

  • Students & staff with EVs: reliable, scheduled, low-cost charging.

  • Campus sustainability teams: measurable carbon reduction data and energy optimization.

  • Administration: reduced grid dependency and smoother energy usage.

  • Community: cleaner air, lower emissions around campus.

Why this matters to me

As EV adoption grows, I’ve seen peers struggle with finding working chargers or waiting hours for a free slot. Solving this directly encourages sustainable transport on campus while saving time and reducing emissions.

Solution: what EcoCharge does?

EcoCharge combines IoT-enabled chargers with a campus energy app:

  1. Smart charging stations: equipped with load sensors and programmable controllers.

  2. App interface: lets users book slots, view availability, and get real-time updates.

  3. Energy integration: prioritizes renewable energy usage, shifts charging to off-peak hours.

  4. Admin dashboard: analytics on usage, carbon savings, and predictive maintenance.

Technical details (simple & deployable)

  • Hardware: IoT-enabled EVSE (electric vehicle supply equipment) with RFID/QR authentication.

  • Connectivity: chargers linked to a central campus server over Wi‑Fi or LTE.

  • Backend: cloud-based scheduler with load-balancing algorithms.

  • App: React Native app for users + web dashboard for admins.

  • Energy layer: smart meters + solar inverters feeding into the system.

Minimum Viable Product

  • Phase 1: Install 3–4 smart chargers at high-demand hostels/parking areas. Launch with slot booking + basic load balancing.

  • Phase 2: Measure average wait times, renewable share of energy use, and charger utilization rates.

  • Phase 3: Expand to all major parking lots with 20+ chargers, integrate solar panels, and scale to dynamic energy pricing.

 

 

 

Votes: 12
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Comments

  • his is exactly the kind of system our campus needs- no more hunting for a charger or waiting forever. Being able to book slots, use solar power, and see when chargers are available makes things so much smoother. It’s green, smart, and helpful!
  • This is a fantastic and incredibly relevant idea. You've clearly identified a real pain point on campuses and proposed a solution that is not only practical but also sustainable. The phased MVP approach is particularly smart, as it allows for testing and learning before scaling. 'EcoCharge' is a great name—it perfectly captures the mission. Really looking forward to seeing this come to life!
  • This is awesome!As more students switch to EVs, having a smart and accessible campus charging setup feels like a real step toward greener everyday living.
  • A focused campus EV charging solution with clear benefits. EcoCharge stands out by combining smart scheduling, renewable integration, and transparent billing—features missing in most basic chargers. The phased rollout is practical, but reliability of the IoT hardware and ensuring renewable energy availability will decide how well it scales.
  • Love this idea! EcoCharge tackles the real challenges of EV charging on campus while promoting greener, smarter mobility for everyone.
  • EcoCharge stands out by making EV charging fair and green at the same time. I love how it blends renewable energy with smart scheduling—practical, future-focused, and genuinely useful for campus life.
  • Great proposal, Karthik. EcoCharge effectively tackles the real challenges of campus EV adoption by combining smart scheduling, renewable integration, and user-friendly accessibility. This solution could set a strong benchmark for sustainable mobility on campuses
  • EcoCharge is a game-changer for campus EVs, smart, green, and hassle-free charging will make sustainable mobility effortless!
  • This is an excellent, much-needed system for bringing intelligent EV charging to campuses. The combination of smart scheduling and green energy integration is a game-changer, though its success will hinge on a robust mechanism to manage user adherence to their booked slots.
  • EcoCharge makes campus EV charging effortless, sustainable, and perfectly managed with smart scheduling and green energy integration!
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