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Introducing the GenCell EVOX® live in action: Demonstrating DC fast EV charging at the California Mobility Center (CMC) ramp-up facility – a location lacking the grid infrastructure needed to power fast EV chargers on-site. Combining BESS battery storage, on-site hydrogen-fueled power generation and distributed energy management software (DERMS), as well as the option to integrate available grid power and other renewable energy resources, the GenCell EVOX can be rapidly deployed at any location to deliver bridge power wherever, whenever and for as long as it is needed.
To read the EVOX EXPO at the CMC brochure, click here.
August 5th marked a watershed moment for the GenCell EVOX: The event kicked off the live demonstration of the EVOX in action fast charging a variety of electric vehicles on-site. GenCell deployed the containerized EVOX solution, an i-charging Blueberry fast charger and a trailer of compressed hydrogen on the ramp outside the CMC entrance to showcase how the solution can be rapidly deployed for fast charging of EV fleets needed for various use cases, from private vehicles to commercial vans to emergency vehicles – from police cars to ambulances to school buses. Following the launch event, the EVOX will continue to be on display at the CMC.
To watch the EVOX demonstrating DC fast EV charging, click here.
In parallel the event entertained a meeting of the minds – a diverse group of energy professionals focused on renewables, DERs, microgrids, fleet electrification, emissions reductions policies and other topics key to the transition to a clean energy future. These thought leaders gathered together to emphasize the key role of hydrogen in completing the clean energy puzzle, discussing how it supports sustainable and resilient fueling of transportation and other key use cases.
In his keynote, CMC CEO Orville Thomas emphasized the importance of the partnership, especially because the CMC Depot Park location doesn’t have access to the clean energy infrastructure needed for fleets to transition their vehicles away from diesel and towards hydrogen and battery electric. “Thanks to EVOX at the CMC,” commented Thomas, “they can have a space to charge their heavy-duty vehicles and do it in a way that doesn’t require the high cost of utility upgrades. The project can accelerate their transition and bring zero- emission vehicles to the Sacramento community.”
Reflecting on the role hydrogen can play going forward, panel moderator Andrew Higgins, CoB of the Texas Electric Transportation Resources Alliance (TxETRA) and a senior consultant at KPMG posited, “We will move away from one dominant fuel source and start to employ the right fuel source for the right application, allowing hydrogen to step in and really show its value.”
Mike Hart, CEO of Sierra Energy and Sierra Railroads expressed excitement that the Sacramento community could become a dynamic hydrogen hub for America. Using Sierra Energy’s innovative methods to use waste to produce clean hydrogen in communities, eliminating both landfills and emissions, and then employing that hydrogen to drive fleet electrification reinforces energy independence and eliminates the need for fuel transport. Sierra enables safe transportation and stockpiling of hydrogen. “The idea is a power future that’s distributed so that energy is made where it’s needed rather than relying on some big power source somewhere far away, also making sure that the power is safe and not polluting,” explained Hart. “And by the way hydrogen is the stem cell of energy that drives diverse innovative applications.”
Raef Porter, Transportation and Climate Change Program Manager at the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District (SMAQMD) was on hand to discuss policies being put in place to mitigate emissions due to climate. Regarding climate adaptation, he remarked, “Things like GenCell EVOX are going to be fantastic for providing power during outages to schools, stores, homes that are still there and emergency services in the area.” Porter urged employment of hydrogen to drive the transition to zero-emission vehicles to improve air quality. He concluded, “there’s actually a really big detriment if we don’t hit our air quality standards and we lose out potentially on billions of state and federal transportation dollars.”
According to Nico Bouwkamp, Business Development Manager H2 at GTI Energy, for the future we must consider electricity and hydrogen for mobility, stationary, and industry applications to make things sustainable and reliable. Bouwkamp is focused on finding innovative technologies to overcome the challenges of the energy transition, leveraging low carbon options such as ammonia and finding solutions for areas or specific pockets within those areas that are relatively old or have been in place for a long time where power supply is limited. “We can’t just put in lots of chargers at any point within the region, even more so in rural areas,” said Bouwkamp. “So, the EVOX solution is an upcoming opportunity because there are more and more battery electric vehicles on the road, but you need to charge them somehow.”
To watch a recorded excerpt from the panel discussion, click here.
Following the panel, John Felts GenCell’s US Western Regional Sales Manager, delivered a thorough review of the GenCell EVOX. He described its features and benefits, how it is deployed and use cases it supports, from providing EV charging, refrigeration and air conditioning to underserved communities during outages to supplementing power for port electrification to supporting disaster recovery during wildfires. He went on to show how the embedded GenCell GEMS™ software controls and optimizes EV charging operations. In conclusion he shared GenCell’s vision for a #GreenFSG (Fuel-Store-Generate) future of clean circular energy economies in which resilient, uninterrupted green power can be produced and consumed wherever needed. On the path to GreenFSG, Felts explained how a community routinely running multiple EVOX units at different sites could aggregate them on-demand to provide sufficient backup power to protect the community through extended outages.
To watch a recorded version of the EVOX presentation, click here.
GenCell is enthusiastic about its partnership with the CMC, which aims to advance research & development and adoption of zero-emission vehicles, address related workforce challenges and advance expansion of clean energy and transportation technologies in Sacramento and beyond. In the partnership press release, Rami Reshef, GenCell CEO was quoted, “We share with the CMC a passion and deep commitment for decarbonization of transportation. Through our collaboration, we can demonstrate how GenCell EVOX deployments at critical spots quickly meet both sustainability AND resilience goals, reinforcing interest in and financing for multiple such mobility hubs across the region and beyond.”
To read the partnership press release, click here.
To read the event summary press release, click here.
To read the use case how EVOX delivers DC Fast EV Charging at a 208V 3 phase Site Use Case – namely the CMC – click here.
To watch a short video recap of the event, click here.
To watch a CBS Sacramento news feature covering the event, click here.
In conclusion, we are proud that thanks to the EVOX, the CMC can now showcase fast EV charging on-site as a key element of fleet electrification, promoting the accelerated transition to sustainable transportation and smart mobility.
GenCell EVOX at the CMC: