A customer charges his electric car at the newly-opened solar-powered electric vehicle charging station. [Photo/xmnn.cn]

A solar-powered electric vehicle charging station was recently put into service in Haicang district of Xiamen, East China's Fujian province, local media reported.

This newly opened facility is the first charging station in the province integrating photovoltaic power generation, energy storage and charging and battery replacement for electric vehicles.

With an investment of more than 10 million yuan ($1.45 million), the charging station covers an area of over 1,000 square meters and is capable of charging 66 electric vehicles at the same time, including buses, cars and vans.

The station's awnings are made of photovoltaic solar panels covering a total area of 30,000 square meters, equal in size to a photovoltaic power station.

The panels can generate a total of 15,000 degrees of electricity each day, and serve as an important power source for a nearby local hospital.

Deng Mingsheng, president of Chuyuan Energy Saving Technology Co, who funded the station, said that the company plans to expand investment in the field of energy-saving and environmental protection.

According to Deng, two additional photovoltaic power stations will be constructed for the charging station.