As the world moves towards cleaner and more sustainable energy solutions, the use of electric vehicles (EVs) is gaining popularity. Despite this trend, the widespread adoption of EVs is still challenged by inadequate charging infrastructure. The biggest obstacle to the widespread adoption of EVs is the insufficient grid capacity to support fast charging. The cost and time to upgrade old grid infrastructure to meet the needs of fast charging is a major barrier.
Elywhere is a Norwegian company offering a complete solution with EV fast chargers, energy storage and a total system management, on a fast deployable platform. Circle K piloted one of these systems in July 2022, to demonstrate how these enable them to offer a fast charge service where the grid capacity otherwise would not allow this.
Circle K’s Ski pilot project was solved with 6 Pixii Powershaper cabinets, offering 300kW output from a 40kW grid input. The cabinets were strategically pre-installed on a 400kW EV charging platform, enabling the simultaneous charging of up to 4 vehicles. All are managed seamlessly by the Elywhere site controller.
The Pixii solution can multiply the available power from the grid, enabling fast charging. It´s standardized, modular design allows for the cabinets to be proven and tested at the factory, making installation, deployment and even relocation quick and simple, whilst enabling Elywhere to scale easily as demand grows.
EV charging drives traffic and sales. In addition to the charging fees, fast charging gives drivers extra motivation to visit and make purchases while they wait, increasing sales, boosting the station’s appeal as the destination of choice, and creating a steady stream of revenue.
Its smart functionalities like arbitrage and peak shaving allow for storing of energy during off-peak hours, reducing costs and minimizing demand charges. And with no single point of failure, it is one of the most reliable and robust battery energy storage systems on the market, reducing the need for maintenance.
The Pixii battery energy storage system even enables businesses to participate in the energy flexibility markets, such as the balancing market for frequency regulation, allowing them to monetize the system’s flexibility for additional revenue streams. With a fleet of sites, this additional revenue can be significant.
The Pixii solution, delivered in partnership with Elywhere, has exceeded expectations since its launch in July 2022. Demand for charging has grown to 60-70 charging sessions per day, with up to 1 megawatt hour per day being sold. This level of performance would have been impossible without battery energy storage.