Second life batteries and biofuel generators overcome slow grid upgrade at MSA

Sustainable energy business and EV charge point operator Gridserve is using second-life batteries and biofuel at the Moto Ferrybridge motorway service area in West Yorkshire, to enable its high power chargers to open before an upgraded grid connection is completed.

Gridserve said it is the first deployment of this type to power six high power chargers and the company said it demonstrates its commitment to delivering EV charging in the UK in the earliest possible timeframes.

The trial test case with this “microgrid solution” features a 150kW/150kWh battery pack, sourced from second-life car batteries, that controls the supply of power to the EV chargers and is supplied by vegetable oil generators.

Vegetable oil generators produce 90% less carbon emissions than traditional generators, but in order to stay net zero, Gridserve is also planting trees to offset the remaining 10% carbon emissions this process is unable to remove.

Moto Ferrybridge will ultimately have 12 high power chargers once the permanent grid connection is in place.

Toddington Harper, Gridserve chief executive, said, “Electric Super Hubs typically require new grid connections, which are outside of our control and often take much longer to deliver than installing all the chargers.

“As a result, we’ve been working through solutions to get chargers working as quickly as possible, and we are excited to trial this microgrid solution running on batteries and vegetable oil, as this has enabled us to get the chargers operating many months before the grid connection was available.

“It’s not a perfect solution, hence to maintain net zero we have arranged to plant trees to offset any carbon emissions produced, but on balance, as an interim solution we feel it makes sense.

Gridserve says it will be monitoring the microgrid test to understand the customer experience, charging speeds and overall feedback, while awaiting grid connection.