FIEGE and E.ON open intelligent charging park for e-cars
The test phase was successful – the xSite pilot electromobility project by FIEGE and E.ON begins functional operations in Greven.
The logistics company FIEGE has opened its innovative charging park for electric cars at its headquarters near the Münster/Osnabrück Airport. The highlight of “xSite” is the so-called dynamic load management, an intelligent technology, which ensures that existing infrastructure is used optimally. The digital energy platform XENON processes the electricity consumption data of company buildings and controls the charging of electric cars. When the electricity consumption of the buildings decreases, more energy is used to charge the electric cars. The energy platform ensures that a certain average consumption value, assessed within 15 minutes, is not exceeded. This makes for ideal use of the existing grid connection and saves the company expenditure. To ensure that the batteries are full when vehicles drive off, the energy platform also considers parking times so that certain vehicles are charged with priority.
The smart charging park was implemented for FIEGE under the guidance of E.ON. The energy provider is working on the project with its digital subsidiary gridX. In September, E.ON acquired a majority stake in gridX which developed the intelligent energy platform XENON. Other project partners include the European Training Centre for Real Estate and Housing Management (EBZ), which is carrying out the data analysis, and RSW Technik from Buseck, which is responsible for the building energy management system at FIEGE.
Project Outlook: Using electric cars as storage
The xSite dynamic load management project features 10 intelligent AC (alternate current) charging points that supply the electric vehicles of FIEGE employees and visitors with up to 22 kW of power from E.ON green electricity. Two further special DC (direct current) charging points with a capacity of 10 kW enable e-cars to also be used as electricity storage units within an additional xSite pilot project. Through this project, the energy can be fed back from the electric-vehicle batteries into the charging station during longer charging periods, allowing the electricity to also be simultaneously used elsewhere. These so-called bidirectional charging points are now entering the test phase. Results are expected to be available at the beginning of next year.
Today, 50 per cent of new orders within the FIEGE fleet are vehicles with electric drive technology and charging points are available at over 35 per cent of the company’s sites – and this is just the beginning. Together with E.ON, FIEGE is currently building new charging points at 10 other locations in Germany. The company has just concluded a framework agreement for the further expansion of its charging infrastructure with the energy provider. The logistics service provider plans to include charging points directly in new construction projects, so the charging infrastructure is set to expand even further.
Felix Fiege, CEO of the FIEGE Group, is the fifth generation to run the family business together with his cousin Jens Fiege. He explains the opening of xSite: “As an innovative company, it is important for us to take electromobility one step further together with E.ON with our charging park. Sustainability has a special significance for us. We want to promote sustainable behaviour in our company, demonstrate climate-friendly alternatives and provide employees and visitors with easy access to E-Mobility. For us, the xSite project is a building block for the logistics of the future and intelligent, sustainable and economically strong mobility.”
Mathias Wiecher, Vice President of E-Mobility at E.ON SE, adds: “Together with our business customers, we want to make companies fit for the future. With FIEGE and our project partners, we are now successfully bringing an innovative, intelligent charging solution into the practical phase, which protects the climate – and reduces costs for our customer. Thus, according to joint calculations, around €6,000 to 13,000 per year can be saved when the 12 charging points are fully utilised.”
Mark Ritzmann, Managing Director at E.ON Innovation, adds: “The seamless cooperation of all partners has enabled the realisation of the new charging park at FIEGE, which not only saves costs but also offers a high level of charging convenience for employees and visitors. We are looking forward to driving this promising project forward together and to contributing our comprehensive know-how as an innovative energy provider in the process.”
