3ti has installed a portable smart solar system for electric vehicle charging at distributor Segen’s green skills training academy in Kent.
The Papilio3 system is 3ti’s pop-up solar parking and EV charging hub with an installed capacity of 19.3 kWp and can produce up to 18 MWh of electricity in the first year. It uses a combination of solar energy and local grid power and can simultaneously rapidly charge 12 electric vehicles of seven, 11 or 22 kW, reducing reliance on expensive ultra-fast charging points.
The Segen Academy is a purpose-built facility on the same site as the company’s distribution centre, aimed at tackling the UK’s shortage of qualified renewable energy installers. The academy has the capacity to train approximately 1,600 people per year, and the charging hub will be available to anyone working or training at the academy.
Segen leases the Papilio3 system with a three-year contract. The site’s existing grid connections are optimized by the system’s smart charging capabilities, and its portability avoids the need for planning permission, which has helped accelerate implementation.
“As a leader in the renewable energy industry, we want to set an example by using innovative solutions to reduce our environmental footprint,” said James Galloway, Global Product Director at Segen.
3ti CEO Ben Marchant added: “Segen and 3ti have many similarities; we’re both working to support companies towards a future rich in renewable energy that helps decarbonize transportation. It therefore felt very appropriate that our Papilio3 could help meet Segen’s needs at its training site, by providing users with low-cost and low-carbon electric vehicle charging. It is the perfect use case to prove the validity of destination charging.”
In 2021, Segen was acquired by Labora Holdings Limited, the parent company of electrical products and services supplier City Electrical Factors. Through its own online portal, Segen produces and distributes solar energy, EV charging, energy storage system technologies and ancillary electricity equipment.
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