Introduction
A large Spanish Waste Management company, was an early adopter of electric vehicles and operates a diverse fleet with hundreds of electric vehicles (sweepers, trucks, cars and vans). They leverage Bia Smart Charging as the charging demands of their eFleet grows and operational complexities evolve.
Challenge
They face the challenge of capacity-constrained charging sites with EV charging loads that exceed these capacities. Furthermore, Their operations require adherence to strict departure times schedules and controlled energy costs. Standard charging methods were not working, leading to delayed departure times and high energy costs.
Solution
Bia's advanced smart charging software was implemented at multiple depots. Bia’s optimisation software provides real time charge management that incorporates departure times, energy costs, energy capacity and smart balancing tools.
Key Benefits
- Avoided infrastructure retrofit:
- By optimising energy consumption they have been able to avoid costly infrastructure capacity upgrades and shift loads to consume energy when the electric grid is producing cleaner, more sustainable power.
- Cost Savings:
- Optimised charging schedules: Bia's software predicts charging flexibility for them and ensures that when possible, EVs are charged during off-peak hours when electricity rates are lower.
- Dynamic energy management: Bia monitors energy consumption and adjusts power flows to ensure balanced loads and to avoid demand spikes and associated power penalties.
- Improved Operations:
- Real-time charge management: The software provides constant oversight of charging processes and allows for real time charging adjustments through features such as ‘boost charge’ allowing for timely adjustments to adapt to the reality of daily operations for waste management fleets.
- Fleet Uptime: Bia's algorithms optimise charging times to ensure that vehicles are ready for operation when needed.
Results
- 50% peak load reduction, 20% variable charging energy cost reductions: They experience significant savings in electricity costs due to optimised charging schedules and dynamic energy management. Furthermore, with Bia, they have been able to avoid significant infrastructure upgrade costs and capacity increases.
- 100% fleet uptime: The smart charging system enhanced operational efficiency by ensuring that vehicles were ready before their departure time.
- Enhanced sustainability: They demonstrated their commitment to environmental responsibility by adopting a more sustainable and energy-efficient approach to EV charging.
Conclusion
The partnership showcases the transformative potential of Bia’s smart charging technology in the waste management industry. By implementing Bia's solution, They were able to optimise charging costs, avoid costly energy capacity increases, improve fleet efficiency, and contribute to a more sustainable future.
