Expanding High-Capacity Charging for Heavy Transport
Cyan Energys ladeløsning muliggjør fornybar, pålitelig og rask lading for tungtransport, offentlig transport, maritim sektor og luftfart.
– In order for heavy transport in Norway to succeed in going electric, charging stations that can deliver high power at all times are needed, says Bjørn Bjerke, founder and CEO of Cyan Energy. With the ambition to make EV charging as fast and predictable as filling up with diesel, Cyan Energy has established its first station in Hareid. Three new ones are planned along the E6.
An unstable power grid, messy payment solutions, and queues at charging stations are well-known challenges for electric vehicle users. For heavy transport, these are critical bottlenecks for electrification. Charging must be fast and predictable, preferably during the driver's rest break. This requires reliable charging stations that can deliver high power around the clock, regardless of location or the number of users.
– Today's infrastructure is not adapted to the needs of heavy transport, and that is exactly why we developed an alternative solution, says Bjerke.
– Cyan Energy's solution stands out by ensuring that each charging point always provides the promised capacity, without power sharing. This increases predictability and reduces downtime and waiting times for drivers and logistics operators, explains Bjerke.
The company currently operates one charging station in Hareid, Møre og Romsdal. The station delivers 350 kW per charging point, but is designed for up to 1000 volts and 1000 amperes per charging point. This provides a maximum charging power of up to 1000 kilowatts, without power sharing.
– Predictable charging is absolutely essential, even where the power grid is weak, he emphasizes. Several new vehicle models, including upcoming models from BYD, have been announced with support for charging at up to 1000 kW. To fully utilize this, a charging voltage of over 1000 volts is required.
Cyan Energy is among the first operators to offer this level in a commercial solution.
The high capacity is due to a patented solution in which Cyan Energy both produces, stores, and delivers electricity. The self-produced power is entirely renewable, sourced from hydrogen-powered fuel cells, wind, and solar. With local production and storage of electricity, dependency on grid capacity is avoided, a well-known limitation in many parts of the country. The software solution that manages the energy mix is developed in-house and optimizes which energy sources should be used at any given time.
– The inspiration for the storage solution comes from the oil and gas industry, explains Bjerke, who himself has experience from the sector. – The experiences with drilling on land have provided insight into how we can design robust energy systems with high capacity and safety. This has now been transferred to battery storage at land facilities.
The pilot station in Hareid opened in the spring of 2024. It currently delivers 350 kW per charging point, but is designed for significantly higher power. – The experiences from Hareid show that our concept works and delivers the desired charging speed and efficiency. Now we are investing in establishing three new pilot stations along the E6, says Bjerke.
The goal is to establish charging stations specifically tailored for heavy transport, in terms of power, user-friendliness, and reliability. By offering the same charging experience regardless of location, electric transport can become a real alternative for more and more people.
– We want to contribute to making electric transport possible throughout the country, and we will openly share the measures and results we achieve along the way, concludes Bjerke.
Denne artikkelen er gjengitt med tilatelse fra Teknisk ukeblad.
