Pioneering projects that shape the energy transition — at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, the air freight specialist R. Nagel operates a fleet of electric trucks as part of an integrated system combining a solar PV system, battery storage, charging infrastructure and an energy management system (EMS). Such solutions are becoming increasingly attractive for commercial and industrial companies. Sungrow is a project partner and supplies the battery storage and charging infrastructure. In this interview with Christos Tsegkis, Regional Manager EV Charging at Sungrow, we wanted to find out how combined solutions can be planned economically.
In the R. Nagel project, PV, battery storage and fast-charging infrastructure for electric trucks are combined. From your perspective, what is the most important advantage of this integrated approach?
The key advantage lies in system integration: PV, battery storage and fast-charging infrastructure are planned as a coordinated energy system. This allows locally generated solar energy to be stored and used specifically for charging electric trucks, while the battery storage system reduces peak loads and makes more efficient use of the available grid connection capacity. At the R. Nagel project at Schiphol Airport, this enables 900 kilowatts (kW) of charging power for up to eight heavy-duty electric trucks simultaneously.
How can the PV system, BESS and charging capacity be sensibly dimensioned in relation to one another when a commercial company wants to operate a growing electric fleet? Which load profiles, schedules, dwell times and grid connection limits were particularly decisive in the R. Nagel project?
The dimensioning should be based on the actual operating profile: daily energy demand, charging windows, dwell times, route planning, PV generation and grid connection capacity are decisive factors. In the R. Nagel project, the high energy demand of the heavy-duty electric trucks and grid restrictions were key factors. Several fast chargers, six PowerStack batteries and an EMS with more than 200 parameters coordinate charging capacity, storage operation and grid consumption according to schedules and cost conditions.
What specific role does the battery storage system play between the PV system and the fast-charging infrastructure: is it mainly about optimizing self-consumption, peak shaving, relieving the grid connection, electricity price arbitrage — or a combination of all of these?
The battery storage system performs several functions at the same time: it increases PV self-consumption, enables peak shaving and relieves the grid connection. In addition, it supports electricity price optimization by storing energy at lower-cost times and using it later. Further options include peak-valley arbitrage, participation in the day-ahead and imbalance markets, and lower energy costs through intelligent energy management.
Important factors include investments in storage, charging infrastructure and EMS, as well as installation, commissioning and operation. In the R. Nagel project, the integrated one-stop approach reduces implementation costs by 50 percent and can help avoid additional grid or transformer investments. Other drivers include low-cost solar and battery power, peak-valley arbitrage, reduced energy taxes, subsidies, and revenues from the day-ahead and imbalance markets.
Which best practices can be derived from the R. Nagel project for other commercial and logistics companies that want to plan PV, storage and charging infrastructure together?
One key best practice is to plan charging infrastructure, storage, PV and energy management together from an early stage. Companies should take into account their current fleet size, future zero-emission zones and the increasing share of electric trucks. Realistic load profiles, a modular architecture and an intelligent EMS are essential. The project also shows that one-stop solutions with rapid commissioning, remote monitoring, firmware updates and clear service responsibilities can reduce installation times and operating costs. Many companies start with just a few electric vehicles but want to scale up significantly later.
The solution should be modular so that companies can start small and expand later without fundamental replanning. Charging points, storage capacity, PV generation and EMS must therefore be designed from the outset as a scalable overall system. In the R. Nagel project, 900 kW of charging power for eight heavy-duty electric trucks, six PowerStack batteries and an EMS with more than 200 parameters enable economical operation today while providing expansion potential for growing requirements.
In general, uncertainty and volatile prices are increasing the pressure on commercial and industrial customers to better control energy costs and security of supply. As a result, demand is rising for C&I solutions such as PV, battery storage, charging infrastructure and intelligent energy management, which improve self-consumption, flexibility and protection against price peaks.
More information on this project and smartly combined solutions in the commercial and industrial segment will be available in the corresponding session at the Intersolar Forum.
