
Volvo Truck and Bus Centre Carlisle, and Volvo Truck and Bus Centre London North, in Enfield have been equipped with Connected Energy 300kW E-STOR systems.
Both sites have low import capacity from the grid which made them unsuitable for installing electric vehicle chargers that pull from the grid. The E-STOR solution uses second-life batteries to act as an energy reservoir.
At London North the system will support a 350kW charger and five 22kW chargers for courtesy cars and vans. Carlisle’s E-STOR will be used for a 150kW truck charger and two 22kW chargers.
Christian Coolsaet, managing director at Volvo Trucks UK & Ireland (right), said: “As a market leader in electric trucks, it is important that we can provide high-powered charging at our key locations within our dealer network to support our customers. However, we are faced with grid capacity constraints at almost all our sites which is impacting our infrastructure plans.
“By installing Connected Energy’s battery energy storage systems, we can bring additional power onto the sites which helps us to move forward with the installation of high-powered charge points.
“The systems also support our wider net zero strategy to decarbonise our own workshop operations which includes investments in air source heat pumps, PV solar panels, energy efficient smart lighting systems and transitioning our service and parts van and courtesy car fleets to electric. London North will become one of our flagship carbon-neutral sites, generating its own power from a solar array with excess generation stored within the battery energy storage systems.”
E-STOR allows energy from the grid or renewable sources on site to be stored and used in peak times. This ensures sites are always able to access the electricity required to charge vehicles regardless of the local grid infrastructure.
Matthew Lumsden, CEO of Connected Energy, said: “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. 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.”