Connected Energy’s 300kW second-life battery storage systems have been installed at two Volvo Trucks UK & Ireland charging workshops to help manage grid connection restraints.
The E-STOR system uses second-life electric vehicle (EV) batteries to store power from the grid or through integrated onsite renewables, such as solar arrays, during periods of low demand to then dispatch to the chargepoints on-site during peak periods.
Two E-STOR systems were installed across two Volvo service workshops after Volvo Trucks’ plans to install high-powered chargepoints were stalled due to neither site having enough import capacity from the grid to power the chargers.
To remedy this, Volvo Trucks enlisted the help of the Newcastle upon Tyne-based battery manufacturer to install one 300kW E-STOR system at the Volvo Truck & Bus Centre London North in Enfield to support a 350kW truck charging and five 22kW EV chargepoints for courtesy cars.
The second asset was installed at Volvo Truck and Bus North & Scotland in Carlisle to power a 150kW truck chargepoint and two 22kW chargepoints for electric cars and vans.
The issue of grid constraints is particularly prominent when charging trucks, which require chargepoints that can be up to 50 times more powerful than fast chargers for cars.
“Truck depots and service centres were not designed with EV charging in mind, so many of them are facing capacity issues as they look to extend their range into larger vehicles. E-STOR is often a more affordable alternative to expensive grid infrastructure upgrades – or in some cases the only option,” said Matthew Lumsden, CEO of Connected Energy.
“We have seen an increase in enquiries as bus and truck operators begin to understand the lack of capacity on their sites and start to look for solutions to grid constraints.”
Volvo Energy also signed a letter of intent with Connected Energy to co-develop a battery energy storage system (BESS) solution using batteries from Volvo Group’s electric buses, trucks and machines in September 2023.