How to electrify your business

As EV numbers increase, now could be the time to get your business electric-ready and consider installing a power generation and charging infrastructure.

There are a lot of changes coming down the road, and the biggest is electrification. But the shift in what powers vehicles isn’t just about making sure you have the right skills and qualifications for an influx of EVs into your business, it’s also about making sure your premises are ready to accommodate EVs too.

It’s a process that can include more than simply installing EV charges ready for staff and customers. It can be a complex area, so it’s worth asking yourself a number of key questions:

• Where do I start on the electrification of my fleet?
• Will infrastructure upgrades be required?
• How can I manage and integrate all the technology?
• How can I increase the usage of renewable power?
• How do I fund my EV strategy?

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Investing in electrification and decarbonisation for a business isn’t something you can do by yourself, and unless you’re a multinational, it’s likely you’ll need to bring in expertise to invest in the right systems.

You’ll need to look at the types of vehicle chargers available, whether you want to use as much renewable power as possible through rooftop, carport or ground-mounted solar panels, and if you can take advantage of vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technologies.

V2X enables you to optimise your site by benefiting from fully funded EV and solar PV green power accompanied by controls to optimise your site. This will make you greener, save you money and support you on your journey to being carbon-neutral. The system will allow you to flexibly use power to charge vehicles or pump electricity back into the grid. So, if you are producing more power than you’re using, it isn’t being wasted and could even help inject money back into the business.

Marubeni Europower, an international business with expertise across numerous industries, including installing charging infrastructures, has started a UK project with Norton Way Motors and others that showcases the significant economic and environmental value of a multi-technology concept, and how it can help businesses transition to net zero and e-mobility.

The project team is exploring EV tariff and optimisation opportunities for large industrial and commercial businesses as the electrification of transport transforms the energy landscape. The team could also shape how others approach the challenge.

But working with specialised organisations could help you to map out how you can work it into your business model and help look after areas such as installing, operating and maintaining on-site solar generation, load and PV forecasts, grid connection limitations, as well as business operations.

The shift to electric could put pressure on finances, so it’s worth looking at what companies can do to support any changes to your business’s infrastructure. Some may even install, operate and maintain the solar panels for example. And then there’s the incentive of being paid for any excess energy that you generate and is exported back to the Grid.

Getting businesses ready for the electric future is as important as increasing the number of EVs on the road. Just as the increase in vehicle numbers will take time and investment, as will the upgrades to power generation and charging infrastructure, so it’s worth considering now if it’s a road you want to go down.

Imran Khan is Lead EV/V2G Consultant at Marubeni Europower

Time to dig a little deeper? The IMI offers a range of Electric Vehicle Qualifications to prepare you for the electrified future