TAking Charge: TravelCenters of America Ultra-Fast En-Route Charging
Integrating DERs into innovative charging solutions to support medium and heavy duty vehicle electrification at major freight hubs.
TA Operating LLC
Recipient
Westlake, OH
Recipient Location
$191,559
Amount Spent
Active
Project Status
Project Update
The project team expects their first permit in February 2025. Construction for infrastructure is anticipated to begin in February 2025 and conclude in Q2 of 2025. The site is expected to be operational, pending SCE's energization, by the end of Q3 2025.
The Issue
Adoption of zero-emission technologies in the medium and heavy-duty (MDHD) vehicle sector is faced with critical barriers, including the impact of charging to existing fleet management practices that rely on refueling in 30 to 45 minutes and the need for reliable and cost-effective charging solutions at fleet home sites and throughout their routes to allow for opportunity charging or charging in the event of emergencies.
Project Innovation
The purpose of this Agreement is to fund the design and deployment of an integrated distributed energy resource (DER) solution to support MDHD zero emission vehicle fleets using high-capacity public-access direct current fast chargers for en-route charging in support of lower capacity depot charging. The integrated system will include MDHD fast chargers with battery storage, solar photovoltaics (PV), and microgrid controls to provide a secure energy management system that optimizes control system components.
Project Goals
Project Benefits
This project will deploy and demonstrate a replicable and scalable DER-integrated MDHD charging solution, to provide readily accessible charging infrastructure at a freight hub, and gather cost and performance data to inform a widespread rollout of MDHD charging infrastructure.
Reliability
Integrate DER including solar PV and battery energy storage along with an energy management system to maintain grid reliability while deploying high capacity chargers.
Affordability
Lower costs by deploying high-cost high-capacity chargers in public access locations so they can be used by multiple fleets and vehicles.
Consumer Appeal
The project's integrated DER solution with high-capacity fast chargers, battery storage, and renewable energy sources can potentially improve the consumer appeal of zero-emission vehicle fleets by addressing range anxiety concerns and providing a convenient and sustainable refueling option.
Economic Development
The integrated DER solution can potentially drive economic development by promoting the adoption of zero-emission vehicle fleets, creating job opportunities and stimulating the growth of the green economy.
Environmental Sustainability
The integrated solution can potentially reduce air pollution and associated negative health impacts by enabling the transition from diesel-powered vehicles to zero-emission vehicles, which emit no harmful pollutants.
Equity
The integrated solution can potentially promote equity by providing low-income and underserved communities access to clean and reliable transportation options, as well as access to renewable energy and storage technologies, which can help mitigate the negative impacts of climate change on vulnerable communities.
Key Project Members
Tony Zamora
Sophia Racke
Subrecipients
Arup North America Ltd
Build Momentum (d.b.a. Momentum)
Energy Mission Control Corporation
Core States Energy
Match Partners
Schneider Electric USA Inc.
XENDEE
TA Operating LLC
Core States Energy
WGI
Terracon
