Duke Energy microgrid offers carbon-free charging for commercial vehicles

Duke Energy has commissioned its new Duke Energy + Electrada Fleet Mobility Microgrid in Mount Holly, N.C., which was designed to be an electrification center for commercial and public electric fleet vehicles. The company said the project was the first of its kind in the country to offer a zero-emission, carbon-free microgrid option for fleet charging. The center is expected to serve as a model for utility-grade fleet electrification that can help businesses meet sustainability goals and as an active charging site for light-, medium- and heavy-duty electric fleet vehicles.

“As companies with sustainability goals seek new ways to decarbonize their operations, vehicle fleets have increasingly become a top focus,” said Harry Sideris, president of Duke Energy, based in Charlotte, N.C. “The Duke Energy + Electrada Fleet Mobility Microgrid is open and ready to help with opportunities for cost savings, new charging options for zero-emission vehicles and strategic guidance.”

Duke Energy has commissioned its new Duke Energy + Electrada Fleet Mobility Microgrid in Mount Holly, N.C., designed to be an electrification center for commercial and public electric fleet vehicles. (Photo: Duke Energy)

Electrada, an electric fuel solutions company based in Cincinnati, provides the capital “behind the meter” on behalf of fleet owners. The company delivers reliable charging to fleet electric vehicles through a performance contract to help reduce the complexity and risk that fleets face in transitioning to this new source of fuel. The Electrada model reportedly helps ensure grid integrity, guarantees performance and reliability, and removes electric fleet charging price volatility. The company’s investment on the depot side complements Duke Energy’s focus on distribution system performance to support the addition of electric load over time.

“While fleet electrification in Europe and Asia has taken hold, this critical mobility microgrid effort in partnership with Duke Energy will help address and solve those electrical and performance issues unique to North America that challenge commercial adoption today,” said Kevin Kushman, CEO of Electrada. “This collaboration proves that electric mobility at scale is compatible with reliable and renewable grid service and will build trust in fleets who are ready to embrace the transition.”

The Duke Energy + Electrada Fleet Mobility Microgrid includes six fleet charging stations ranging from 120 to 300 kW along with two Level 2 chargers. Designed for medium- and heavy-duty trucking, the depot can be charged from the grid or switched to 100% renewable energy generation when integrated with the Mount Holly microgrid, which includes solar, battery storage, hydrogen and other types of generation.

The configuration also provides the opportunity for stakeholders to test and validate software, vehicle and microgrid interoperability to reinforce confident commercial fleet electrification, even in the most challenging or complex locations.

The site’s functionality as an innovation hub is expected to allow Duke Energy to study charger use, performance, energy management and integration. Identifying EV charging technologies and how they may be used to power any type of fleet with vehicles ranging from Class 1 to 8 is expected to model for the industry a clear, integrated and cost-effective path to fleet electrification. Testing various models of charging scenarios enables energy load shaping, which can be used to ensure proper grid or microgrid distribution.

Daimler Truck North America LLC (DTNA), joined Duke Energy and Electrada as a founding participant in the Duke Energy Emerging Technology and Innovation Center. One of DTNA’s largest East Coast manufacturing facilities is located directly adjacent to the center and creates an ideal opportunity to utilize the chargers at the site and demonstrate charging technologies to customers visiting the plant in the future. Mount Holly is home to Freightliner Trucks’ medium-duty M2 models.

“Our collaboration with Duke Energy and Electrada goes beyond infrastructure development – it’s about creating a sustainable, scalable fleet electrification solution,” said Jeff Allen, senior vice president of operations and specialty vehicles at DTNA. “By providing seamless, carbon-free charging, the Fleet Mobility Microgrid enables our inbound logistics partners to operate with minimal environmental impact. This is a critical step in decarbonizing our supply chain and ensuring that our electric vehicles continue to drive the future of sustainable transportation.”

Duke Energy said fleet electrification has the potential to have the largest environmental impact per mile driven on a greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction basis per transportation use case, especially in medium- and heavy-duty trucking. The company also said EV adoption in the U.S. continues to grow, with the latest quarter representing a record high percentage of EV new car sales at approximately 9% nationally.

“We expect energy consumption to grow at an average annual rate of nearly 2% over the next 26 years, with approximately 35% of that growth coming from greater EV adoption. That means by 2050, energy use could be about 50% greater than what it is today,” said Sideris. “A collaborative approach to renewable energy has the potential to significantly shape a more sustainable, cleaner energy system.”