A bi-directional EV charging, solar and battery energy storage system has been installed at Nottingham City Council’s fleet depot.

Two E-STOR battery energy storage systems, running 40 vehicle-to-grid (V2G) bi-directional chargers with three solar arrays made from second life Renault batteries have been installed at the Council’s Eastcroft Depot.The system will power the council’s 200-vehicle fleet, and was made by Connected Energy

Commenting on the innovative approach at play, Connected Energy CEO, Matthew Lumsden said:“When fleet and estate managers install EV chargers at thousands of premises across the country, many will discover that their energy supply is insufficient. Others are likely to find that EV charging brings unmanageable peak charges. The energy ecosystem for Nottingham City Council overcomes all these challenges and shows a path ahead that others can follow.”

The site will be mean the Council can use its own energy send it back into the grid, and manage costs as Nottingham City Council’s Principal Energy Projects Officer Steve Cornes,observed: “By using intelligently managed BESS and V2G, on-site solar energy can be maximised and the depot will effectively be able to isolate itself from the grid. The systems will allow us to ensure production costs of electricity will be negligible, allowing us to peak shave so that we can avoid high electricity tariffs and give us the opportunity to trade electricity back to the grid.”

The installation is part of the Nottingham’s goal of being the first carbon-neutral city in the country by 2028.