Fleet electrification is tricky. Many fleet locations never planned to one day convert their vehicles to run using electric powertrains, and therefore lack the adequate electrical infrastructure to easily make the switch. The good news is that upgrade solutions are typically available, and today there are lots of partners out there who can help fleets get started. The bad news is that the upgrade process can involve lengthy wait times – sometimes up to two years – due to factors like utility management and equipment shortages.
Tom McCalmont, CEO and co-founder of Paired Power, says his company has developed what he calls a novel solution that both circumvents the need for extensive grid upgrades and also significantly accelerates the installation process: PairTree, a pop-up solar canopy that offers freedom from costly construction and infrastructure upgrades required by traditional solar canopy installation.
“Over the last 10 or 12 years, solar has gotten dramatically cheaper, but the one type of solar that has not gotten dramatically cheaper is solar carports. And the reason they haven’t is … because they have a massive foundation, with steel and concrete going into the ground. It’s a very labor-intensive process to construct the actual overhead canopy and it’s slow,” McCalmont says. “So, we thought about that problem. The PairTree has a ballasted foundation with a light attachment. It can be attached to the ground with ground screws, but it’s not a massive foundation like you would do with a traditional canopy. All of that can be accomplished in one day with two workers.”
In this episode of The Amped EV Podcast, McCalmont discusses the challenges related to fleet electrification, why some fleets are turning to microgrid EV charging systems, and the adaptability of these charging systems to different geographic conditions.
