Nestlé focuses on e-mobility with Weidmüller and ecocoach
The Swiss global corporation Nestlé is also focusing on decarbonisation. An e-mobility parking project was implemented at Orbe's PTC (Product Technology Centre). Over the course of a few months, a charging park was created with 29 Weidmüller «AC Wallbox Business» charging stations, each with a power consumption of 11 kW.
Dylan Martini from Weidmüller Schweiz AG recalls: «We have a good relationship with Nestlé in Orbe and regularly present new products and solutions there, including our wall box.» However, it quickly became clear that Nestlé was not looking for components but a comprehensive solution. «We fulfilled this requirement thanks to the intensive collaboration with ecocoach AG, which took over the dynamic charging management for the wall boxes.»
In addition to intelligent control, the solution also offers future-oriented features such as «prioritised PV charging» or fast charging for specific users so that the operators have the most significant possible influence on the system's sustainability. The aim is also to produce the electricity directly on-site using an extensive PV system, which can then also be integrated into load management at a later date. There were several approaches to choose from for billing employees for consumption. For example, Nestlé could have received the wall boxes free of charge from the energy supplier, but this would have meant that the energy would have been subject to fixed conditions. However, the company preferred to offer its employees favourable rates for charging their vehicles. A key concern was an independent billing system, as integrating billing into the globally operating group structure would have caused a disproportionate amount of work. SwissCharge was therefore included in the billing process.» SwissCharge offers billing solutions for private and public charging stations and companies and fleet customers.
Acceptance and applicability of electromobility
A user-friendly charging infrastructure is crucial for the acceptance and applicability of electromobility. This applies to potential electric vehicle users, planners, operators and energy suppliers. Weidmüller offers the right solutions for this. The AC Wallbox Business is tailored to the needs of companies, the self-employed, cities and local authorities. It provides calibrated energy meters and secure and convenient activation, including authentication via RFID. With a potential-free input for load shedding and communication via Modbus, the wall box can be perfectly integrated into a charging management system. Thanks to customisable design panels, the stations can also be used as advertising space for companies. The product portfolio includes variants with charging capacities from 3.7 to 22 kW. The Business Box is available with an attached cable, type 2 plug, or socket.
«TOGETHER WE DEVELOPED A TURNKEY SOLUTION. ECOCOACH AG TOOK OVER THE DYNAMIC CHARGING MANAGEMENT FOR THE WALLBOXES, AND A THIRD-PARTY PROVIDER WAS INVOLVED IN THE BILLING PROCESS.»
- DYLAN MARTINI, AUTOMATION SALES ENGINEER AT WEIDMÜLLER SCHWEIZ AG
The complete solution includes intelligent control
Weidmüller Schweiz AG, based in Neuhausen am Rheinfall, and ecocoach AG, based in Brunnen, have intensified their collaboration on solutions for electric vehicle charging and load management. Both companies have set themselves the goal of jointly becoming the leading provider of intelligent complete charging system solutions for e-mobility. ecocoach AG has therefore launched an e-mobility load management system called ecoChargingCoach. The manufacturer-independent system controls charging stations without overloading the grid connection. To do this, it distributes the available power to the individual charging points according to demand. This saves time and costs when expanding the external power supply. Both static and dynamic load management are possible. The basic version controls up to ten AC charging stations, and the system can be expanded as required.
