Microgrids for EV charging
Reliable power to reduce costs and lower emissions
Technology pushes our world forward at an exponential rate. New industries emerge and thrive; old industries evolve and expand. Growing energy demand drives smarter, more resilient power solutions, helping businesses reduce emissions without compromising reliability. And Cummins is leading the charge.
Managing uptime while meeting sustainability goals can be a difficult balancing act. Creating effective pathways to optimize both is key to any business hoping to adapt and survive in a new green economic future, and to mitigating the environmental damage threatening our collective one.
The good news is Cummins can help you get there. Our microgrids for EV charging are a cost-effective, energy-efficient and scalable solution to increase fleet mobility and reduce emissions without sacrificing reliability.
Switching is easy.
From assessing your business and its needs to evaluating your site, applying for clean power grants, supplying power assets and performing regularly scheduled maintenance, Cummins can guide your microgrid conversion from start to finish, helping you maximize your power potential while minimizing your energy costs.
When it comes to specific components, Emilio Pantner, Senior Sales Executive for Gas Gensets & Microgrids, says the design and structure of EV charging microgrids vary.
"It could be generator sets, batteries, solar panels or different power sources acting independently from the utility, or in parallel to the utility."
Your infrastructure, footprint, grid or off-grid power, fleet and business type will help determine what your microgrid needs, but many of the core component categories are the same.
Microgrid controllers function as the brains of the system, integrating the various components across a range of configurations designed to adapt to your requirements.
EV chargers deliver the power to your fleet. Indoor/outdoor rated and fully waterproof, our Level 2 or Level 3 chargers meet a wide range of power needs and fleet sizes and can be installed anywhere you need clean electric power.
Other components can include battery energy storage systems (BESS), diesel and natural gas generator sets, renewable energy sources, system-level controls and transfer switches.
Once you've fully converted to the EV charging microgrid, you'll experience its benefits immediately.
To Pantner, the primary benefit is quite simple.
"Compare your spark spread, essentially your cost of natural gas, versus your cost of electricity. What's my cost of generating electricity with a gas generator, versus paying the utility company? A lot cheaper."
As Pantner previously mentioned, Cummins EV charging microgrids can operate independently and in tandem with the utility. The result: if utility power goes out, your microgrid continues to function—either on a generator, battery backup, or solar. If you're remote and don't have access to a utility, your microgrid generates all the power you need. So, either way, uptime is all the time.
Your EV charging microgrid can also work with the utility to charge your fleet during low-demand periods, avoiding the many service liabilities that come with peak hours, like power spikes, rolling brownouts, and soaring prices.
Bob Meyer, Aftermarket Manager for EVCS Technical Support and Commissioning, says this is particularly helpful for keeping costs down when charging larger fleets.
"When the vehicles come back at midday, prime power costs are pretty high. If they can come back and use a microgrid with a generator to charge, their fuel cost is going to be a lot less. I think, over time, microgrids are going to be critical because you're going to see a shift in when your peak demand is going to be."
Our EV charging microgrids can adapt to changes in peak power demand, supplying power to your fleet whenever rates are at their lowest to optimize your charges, minimize your costs, and—because your microgrid generates its own power—earn credits from your utility by selling your excess.
Cloud-connected Cummins Adapta enables you to collect and share insights into your EV charger's performance, so you can monitor usage data and health status, and remotely control charging activity.
In partnership with The Mobility House, we also offer ChargePilot software, which you can use to remotely monitor and control multiple brands of EV charging stations, helping distribute power and track data across manufacturers.
When you pair our EV chargers with Cummins microgrid power solutions, you get more than reliable EV charging and consistent cost savings. According to Pantner, you get "a Cummins ecosystem—power production, distribution and consumption," and most importantly, one that's tailored to you and built to handle the energy needs of a fast-moving and ever-changing world.
Contact your Cummins Sales and Service representative to learn more about the benefits of customizable Microgrid Power Solutions for your business. Or visit https://www.cummins.com/en-na/generators/microgrids today.
Author Profiles
