SMA Demonstrates Off-Grid EV Charging In Gran Canaria

Key takeaways:

• SMA Solar Technology’s off-grid EV charging station on Gran Canaria has been named a finalist for The smarter E AWARD 2026

• The installation combines 139.15 kWp of solar PV capacity with 511.92 kWh of battery storage to operate without a grid connection

• The charging hub includes 4 charging stations with a combined charging capacity of 300 kW

With the growing adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), the availability of charging infrastructure is becoming increasingly important. Deploying charging stations on islands and in rural regions can be challenging due to limited grid capacity or high costs. Charging infrastructure in such locations usually depends on diesel generators or expensive grid upgrades.

SMA Solar Technology and Riblan Renovables have developed a fully off-grid EV charging station on the island of Gran Canaria off northwestern Africa. This project has been named a finalist for The smarter E AWARD 2026 in the Outstanding Projects category.

The installation combines solar generation, battery storage, and charging infrastructure to provide EV charging powered entirely by renewable energy without relying on the electricity grid.

Located in the municipality of Santa Lucía de Tirajana, the charging station integrates a 139.15 kWp solar PV system with 511.92 kWh of battery storage. According to SMA, the installation can generate ~230 MWh of electricity annually while supplying renewable energy to the public Taro fuel station.

At the core of the installation are 6 of SMA’s Sunny Island X battery inverters, 6 battery systems, each equipped with 18 battery modules, and 3 Sunny Tripower CORE1 inverters. The charging hub includes 4 charging stations with a combined charging capacity of 300 kW.

The project also demonstrates how solar generation and battery storage can be combined to reduce reliance on diesel-powered energy systems and support the transition to zero-emission transportation.