AMPLY Power, Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions collaborate on bus fleet electrification and solar-powered overhead charging

AMPLY Power and Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions are working together to expand fleet electrification offerings, including the first commercially available combination solar canopy and overhead electric vehicle charging solution covered by a power purchase agreement (PPA) leasing and financing model.

The field-tested solution, enabled by the Pantograph In-Depot Equipment (PIDE) Canopy Mount, allows fleets to reduce the cost of EV charging while leveraging renewable electricity.

“Solar PPAs and managed charging can help fleet operators double-down on the cost savings that electric vehicles already deliver compared to diesel. Solar power generation is usually an afterthought, and we developed this unique solution after witnessing transit agencies struggling with the costs associated with developing an overhead charging system,” said Vic Shao, CEO of AMPLY Power. “Unlike diesel prices, electricity rate can fluctuate wildly throughout the day, sometimes by as much as 400 percent, making it impossible to ‘time the market’ and potentially wiping out EV savings. By combining overhead charging with a fixed rate of power, we are helping fleets bring predictability to their budgets and reduce their exposure to high rates.”

Once built and installed in a depot, AMPLY Power and Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions will manage the solar charging and maintenance operations via a PPA, a common financing model for the commercial solar industry. The solar and charging agreements extend 20 to 25 years and offer a fixed rate of power with no upfront capital expenditures.

“Our collaboration with AMPLY goes beyond solar carports with overhead chargers,” said Dan Alcombright, managing director of growth implementation at Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions. “We are committed to supporting fleets in reaching their zero-emission targets, while incorporating more resiliency into their operations and reducing their energy costs for charging.”

The full offering from the partners includes all aspects of EV charging infrastructure and solar carports, as well as AMPLY’s Charging-as-a-Service support model. AMPLY simplifies the transition to EVs for fleets by assuming end-to-end responsibility for all vehicle charging needs, from cloud-based system design to installing local site controllers. The company’s back-end software, OMEGA™, and operational methods enable fleets to drive utility costs down by optimizing EV charging and other energy use at both public and private depots. T

Teichert, a civil and structural engineering and construction firm founded in 1887, is the design builder of the PIDE canopy mount and solar carports. Customized canopies are designed to complement a variety of parking configurations within a depot and across multiple sites. This maximizes the available parking area while minimizing the impact on site functionality.

The PIDE-enabled system was field-tested during a demonstration in Lancaster, Calif., in March 2021. The demonstration used a BYD K9 transit bus, equipped with overhead charging, and a Schunk Transit Systems SLS 301 pantograph DC fast charger.

The PIDE Mount and overhead charging solar canopy are available today.