UK Power Networks Services wins award for smart charging solution

Engineers from UK Power Networks Services are celebrating after securing a top award for their influential sustainability work.

The team, in conjunction with UPS, Cross River Partnership and Moixa, won Major Project of the Year at the National Sustainability Awards. The team was praised for demonstrating how smart charging can incentivise large fleet operators to go electric through providing flexibility to the grid. Businesses and organisations needing to find cost effective and quick ways to switch the EV fleets is one of the key challenges for the electrification of transport across the UK.

The smart charging solution, EV Fleet-Centred Local Energy System (EFLES), builds on the company’s Active Network Management system to dynamically move charging demand off-peak, and avoid any need for significant investment in new electrical infrastructure. It also uses artificial intelligence to optimise the EV charging operation, reducing recharging costs and unlocking new revenue from any existing assets the fleet owner has, such as solar generation.

Sefinat Otaru, Project Manager at Cross River Partnership, says: “Cross River Partnership is pleased that the EFLES project has been recognised at the National Sustainability Awards. Given the pressure to mitigate climate change by reducing emissions, particularly in the transport sector, fleet managers must have the tools they need to manage their electric vehicles efficiently.”

Adam Cundy, Senior Delivery Manager at Moixa, says: “EFLES is a great example of how intelligent control can not only reduce the operational costs of managing an electric fleet, but also unlock additional revenue streams through participation in flexibility services. We’re very proud of this award and the recognition that technology like Gridshare plays a big part in enabling sustainable transport.”

Kieran Coughlan, Head of Strategic Advisory Services at UK Power Networks Services, adds: “We have a key role in making sure our customers can benefit from new technologies that help reduce the costs of transitioning their fleets to fully electric. Smart charging and EV charging optimisation are key parts of the solutions to help commercial fleets to transition to EVs in a sustainable and cost-effective way.”