Fleet charging management provider AMPLY Power is working with Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions, a commercial brand of Duke Energy that provides renewable energy, backup power and managed energy services, on a new combination solar canopy and overhead EV charging solution.

The patent-pending Pantograph In-Depot Equipment (PIDE) Canopy Mount is designed to enable fleets to reduce the cost of EV charging while leveraging renewable electricity.

Engineering and construction firm Teichert designed and built the PIDE Canopy Mount and solar carports. Customized canopies are designed to complement a variety of parking configurations within a depot and across multiple sites.  This maximizes the available parking area while minimizing the impact on site functionality.

PIDE Canopy Mount Field Test Demo from AMPLY POWER on Vimeo.

Once built and installed in a depot, AMPLY Power and Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions will manage the solar charging and maintenance operations via a power purchase agreement (PPA), a common financing model used in the commercial solar industry. The solar and charging agreements extend 20 to 25 years and offer a fixed rate of power with no upfront capital expenditures.

The full offering includes all aspects of EV charging infrastructure and solar carports, as well as AMPLY’s Charging-as-a-Service support model. AMPLY aims to simplify the transition to EVs for fleets by assuming end-to-end responsibility for all charging needs, from cloud-based system design to installing local site controllers. The company’s proprietary OMEGA back-end software enables fleets to reduce utility costs by optimizing EV charging and maximizing existing electrical capacity in order to avoid costly utility service upgrades.

The PIDE-enabled system was field-tested during a demonstration in Lancaster, California in March. The demonstration used a BYD K9 transit bus, equipped with overhead charging, and a Schunk Transit Systems SLS 301 pantograph DC fast charger.

“Solar PPAs and managed charging can help fleet operators double down on the cost savings that electric vehicles already deliver compared to diesel,” said Vic Shao, CEO of AMPLY Power. “Solar power generation is usually an afterthought, and we developed this unique solution after witnessing transit agencies struggling with the costs associated with developing an overhead charging system. Unlike diesel prices, electricity rates can fluctuate wildly throughout the day, sometimes by as much as 400%, making it impossible to time the market, and potentially wiping out EV savings. By combining overhead charging with a fixed rate of power, we are helping fleets bring predictability to their budgets and reduce their exposure to high rates.”

Source: AMPLY Power