New Jersey-based developer Scale Microgrids is going to partner with British EV infrastructure firm EO Charging to build out charging stations to meet future demands of fleet electrification in the U.S.
The non-exclusive partnership agreement will utilize Scale’s ability to provide on-site power resources and microgrids to facilitate EO Charging’s stations, which are to be built across the country. Both companies are free to pursue similar partnerships with other companies in the sector.
In Europe, EO Charging has developed charging stations for many of London’s transit fleets. Those electric public buses have totaled more than 25 million miles in emission-free routes, according to the company.
“Fleet operators cite electricity supply as a major concern for their transition to EVs,” John Walsh, president of EO Charging, Americas, said in a statement. “By partnering with Scale, we’ll be able to offer our customers a complete fleet electrification solution that gets their vehicles charging sooner, at a lower cost and with unprecedented reliability.”
Scale will develop microgrid planning and control technologies to balance the power generation, storage and charging capabilities. The company also will lead work on the project financing side.
Originally backed by private equity fund Warburg Pincus and new creditors such as KeyBanc Capital Markets, Scale Microgrids has developed and acquired numerous microgrid projects for a variety of industries, including food, cannabis, electric fleets, education, water treatment and city services.
The company is also broadening its scope into investment for community solar projects.
Although many of its projects are in Europe, EO Charging has partnered with U.S. firms including a collaboration to electrify one of Aero Corp.’s rental car locations near the Harrisburg Airport in Pennsylvania.
Given constraints on the utility-scale grid side, many proponents of electrification see microgrids as a smart long-term investment. Costco recently contracted to have off-grid solar installed to power its fleets at various locations, while Rove Charging is working with controller technology firm PXiSE Energy Solutions on its charging stations.
At last month’s Microgrid Knowledge 2024 Conference at the Marriott Baltimore Waterfront Hotel, several sessions focused on the potential of microgrids to supply widescale EV charging infrastructure.
Many electric vehicle planners see transit systems, last-mile commercial fleets and school districts as tailor-made for charging infrastructure, considering the everyday predictability of routes and downtimes. The lack of charging accessibility and capacity clearly is a detriment to growth.
“People will build and buy those electric trucks,” Joseph Martorano, associate principal of Arup, said during an EV charging-focused session led by Xendee. “The only thing stopping them is there is nowhere to charge them.”