Sycuan Casino Resort plans to deploy 40 Level 2 chargers, 5 DC fast chargers, and a 250 kW/560 kWh battery energy storage system (BESS) at its San Diego location.

To complete this project, Sycuan partnered with PowerFlex, a provider of intelligent onsite clean energy solutions. The EV chargers are integrated into a network that uses PowerFlex’s patented Adaptive Load Management (ALM) software to dynamically balance the total system load by controlling the output of individual chargers in real time to mitigate peak energy spikes. PowerFlex says ALM will enable the project to accommodate a greater number of chargers than could otherwise be supported by the existing utility infrastructure.

By integrating the battery energy storage system with the DC fast chargers, Sycuan will be able to avoid utility demand charges—fees based on peak energy usage that can be shockingly high. The BESS can further reduce costs and emissions by serving the chargers with cheaper energy stored in the battery instead of expensive on-peak grid power.

“As we continue to see more and more people adopt [EV] technology, it was important for us to stay ahead of the curve and provide this free amenity for our guests and team members,” said Rob Cinelli, General Manager at Sycuan Casino Resort. “We remain committed in finding ways to help reduce our environmental impact and in the future, we have plans to install additional charging stations enterprise-wide.”

“The unique ability of our software to co-optimize storage and EV charging will help sustain California’s growing EV charging demand and increase Sycuan’s onsite energy resiliency,” said Raphael Declercq, CEO of PowerFlex. “They are taking an important step to support the state’s air quality and climate change targets.”

Source: PowerFlex