Duke Energy Celebrates New Fleet Electrification Center Featuring Microgrid Link
Duke is celebrating this week’s in-service debut of its first-ever electrification center for both commercial and public electric vehicles.
The North Carolina-based utility giant has commissioned its new Duke Energy + Electrada Fleet Mobility Microgrid in Mount Holly, N.C. Duke Energy touts the project as the first carbon-free microgrid option for fleet charging on the grid.
The goal of the Duke Energy + Electrada Fleet Mobility Microgrid, its planners say, is to create a model for utility-scale fleet electrification charging of light-, medium- and heavy-duty transportation. Vehicles can charge through the Duke Energy grid or from the on-site solar and storage-powered microgrid located at the company’s Emerging Technology Office in Mount Holly.
“As companies with sustainability goals seek new ways to decarbonize their operations, vehicle fleets have increasingly become a top focus,” Harry Sideris, president of Duke Energy, said in a statement. “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.”
The Mobility Microgrid includes six fleet charging stations ranging from 120 kW to 300 kW along with two Level 2 Chargers. It is designed to charge any type of vehicle from Class 1 pickups to Class 8 over-the-road haulers.
The microgrid and fleet electrification partners say this is truly unique in the U.S.
“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.”
To bolster the connection for medium- and heavy-truck electrification, manufacturer Daimler Truck North America is joining Duke Energy and Electrada as a founding participant in the fleet EV charging program.
“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 announced plans to build the fleet electrification center in February 2023. The utility has used its Mount Holly location to test microgrid technology for several years.
According to a 2022 article in EnergyTech, the Mount Holly center “is where the usual components of microgrid experimentation reside, such as solar panels, battery storage, microturbine and gas generator facilities. But it’s also home to important utility work with unmanned aerial systems, smart meters and switchgear use cases.”
Electrada was started in 2020. The Cincinnati-based startup has focused on EV charging solutions for all parts of the transportation sector.
Prior to helping start Electrada, company CEO Kushman worked as president and chief operating officer at grid analytics software firm Integral Analytics.
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