A fleeting look at 8.2 Terawatt Hours

Amazon’s recently announced plan to introduce 150 electric HGVs to their UK delivery fleet is an admirable commitment given the nervousness in the logistics sector over available power to charge fleets of electric HGVs.

Although, figures recently compiled and released by the Renewable Energy Foundation (REF) reveal that Scottish windfarms alone generated more than sufficient power last year to charge multiple large fleets such as Amazon’s many times over.

There’s a hitch, however.  A great deal of it, 8.2 Terawatt Hours to be precise, had to be discarded because the electricity transmission infrastructure needed to get it to where it could be used, is lacking.

To put 8.2 Terawatt Hours into perspective, this is enough power to charge the average electric HGV around 12615385 times. Or Amazon’s new fleet of 150 HGVs 84,107 times.

While this situation obviously cries out for significant upgrades to transmission infrastructure, the opportunity does exist to create significant additional power capacity in the short term by making better use of the energy and assets we have already.

And that means a smarter, more tech-driven approach to the way we manage energy. As we face up to the ever-steeper challenge of rapid transition to electric vehicles- and in particular electric HGV fleets- the need for industry change leaders who understand power, becomes clearer and more pressing.

We have both ends of the equation. The power and the demand. Balancing them via an increasingly fragile and overloaded Grid infrastructure will require huge upgrades which are both time and cost prohibitive. The solution must lie in a decentralised system using DC microgrids. Highly efficient and strategically placed, these microgrids will relieve pressure on the Grid by managing local power generation in a more flexible and intelligent way to meet local demand. They are easy to deploy too, having relatively few infrastructural requirements.

The capability and technology to deliver these microgrids already exists in the UK. In fact, it’s UK-derived. What needs to happen now is a close collaboration with the Government and key energy stakeholders to make them a reality. This will not only deliver the greatly increased energy needs of electrification of vehicles – not to mention wider consumers- in a short time frame, but more broadly will firmly establish the UK as the global leader in electrification.

If you would like to talk to us about how our unique solutions can give you all the power you need while delivering real ROI back to you, please Contact Us | Find Out How We Can Help | Turbo Power Systems

Today you need a partner that understands the entire power ecosystem to provide you with solutions which will evolve, adapt, and grow as we move into the ever-changing world of tomorrow.
At TPS, we’re offering the power of tomorrow. Today.