Background research for renewable energy EV charging stations
Database Trials
In your group, search your assigned database to locate the specified source. Be prepared to demonstrate your research techniques to the class!
Suggested search:
"electric vehicle" AND "charging station" AND renewable
- Worksheet: ENGR Database TrialsRecord your research techniques in this worksheet, and take notes on demonstrations by your classmates!
- Google PatentsFind a patent granted by the US Patent and Trademark Office (Patent Office: US).
What search tools did you use?
How can you evaluate the relevance of each result?
How can you access the full-text?
Advanced maneuver Google Patents is great for discovering patents, but the version of record for a US patent is held by the USPTO. How can you access the version of record for a patent you find in Google Patents?
- Compendex (Ei Village 2) This link opens in a new windowFind a Conference article or Conference Proceeding (Document type) with subject indexing for Renewable Energy Sources (Controlled Vocabulary).
What search tools did you use?
How can you evaluate the relevance of each result?
How can you access the full-text? - ASME Digital Collection This link opens in a new windowFind a Journal Article (Format) that is Available or Open Access (Availability).
What search tools did you use?
How can you evaluate the relevance of each result?
How can you access the full-text?
Advanced maneuver Assume you discover an awesome article but it is only Available for purchase and not available in full-text from the database. How can you obtain access to this article? (Hint: You should never pay for access to articles!) - SAE Mobilus This link opens in a new windowFind a Ground Vehicle Standard (Content Type).
What search tools did you use?
How can you evaluate the relevance of each result?
How can you access the full-text? - Google Scholar This link opens in a new windowFind a relevant academic source. Then, identify articles which cite that source (Cited by).
What search tools did you use?
How can you evaluate the relevance of each result?
How can you access the full-text?
Reflection Questions
Which database do you think was the most useful for background research on renewable energy charging stations for electric vehicles? Why?
Is there an advantage to searching multiple databases about your topic? Why or why not?
Compare the information provided by databases to the information you can find via Web search (ex. Google). What are the benefits of using databases? What are the benefits of using Web search? How can you use both tools in your search strategy?
Additional Resources
- Battery tech breakthrough paves way for mass adoption of affordable electric car“Our fast-charging technology works for most energy-dense batteries and will open a new possibility to downsize electric vehicle batteries from 150 to 50 kWh without causing drivers to feel range anxiety,” said Chao-Yang Wang, whose lab partnered with State College-based startup EC Power to develop the technology.
[Ebook] The global rise of the modern plug-in electric vehicle : public policy, innovation and strategy by
Publication Date: 2021See Chapter 11, "Charging networks and the grid"!
[Ebook] Electric Vehicle Integration in a Smart Microgrid Environment by ISBN: 9781000393040Publication Date: 2021The primary purpose of this book is to capture state-of-the-art development in smart microgrid management with EV integration and their applications. It also aims to identify potential research directions and technologies that will facilitate insight generation in various domains, from smart homes to smart cities, and within industry, business, and consumer applications.
- Academic Search Complete (Ebsco) This link opens in a new windowSuggested search:
"electric vehicles"
AND "charging stations"
AND renewable
Databases used in these activities
- ASME Digital Collection This link opens in a new windowFull-text access to ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) research.
- Compendex (Ei Village 2) This link opens in a new windowComprehensive, interdisciplinary engineering research database.
- Google PatentsSearch patents from around the world.
- Google Scholar This link opens in a new windowUse this Google Scholar search box to access full-text sources through Penn State University Libraries.
- SAE Mobilus This link opens in a new windowStandards, technical papers, news and research from the Society of Automotive Engineers.
Self-guided tutorials
These activities demonstrate how to gather background information for designing solar EV charging stations from engineering research databases.
Send Sarah feedback about these activities to improve them for future students!
- Demo: Searching Compendex (Ei Village 2)4 mins.
Demonstrates advanced search techniques in the all-purpose engineering research database, Compendex, including keyword searching, controlled vocabulary filtering, and classification code filtering, as well as full-text access and generating a stable URL to a database source. - Activity: Searching Compendex (Ei Village 2)Learn advanced search techniques in the Compendex engineering research database and locate a source about solar charging stations for electric vehicles. (Optional) Email yourself the tutorial results, including a source abstract (summary) and full-text link!
- Demo: Searching SAE Mobilus5 mins. 30 seconds.
Demonstrates advanced search techniques in the SAE Mobilus database, including content type filtering to discover engineering standards and academic sources, full-text access filtering, as well as full-text resource access and generating a stable URL to a database source. - Activity: Searching SAE MobilusLearn advanced search techniques in the SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) Mobilus engineering research database and locate a ground vehicle standard and a research source about solar charging stations for electric vehicles. (Optional) Email yourself the tutorial results, including source abstracts (summaries) and full-text links!
- Demo: Searching Journal of Solar Energy Engineering in ASME Digital Collection3 mins. 30 seconds.
Demonstrates phrase searching within a specific journal publication in the ASME Digital Collection database, as well as full-text article access and generating a draft citation. - Activity: Searching Journal of Solar Energy Engineering in ASME Digital CollectionSearch within the ASME Journal of Solar Energy Engineering to locate an academic journal article about solar charging stations for electric vehicles. (Optional) Email yourself the tutorial results, including article abstract and draft citation!
