Practical service and support for those operating forklifts and similar equipment comes as standard with Ecobat Battery, the UK’s largest battery distributor. This means that as well as supplying the replacement batteries its customers need, it is also able to bring them the real world benefits of sound advice and specialist knowledge that is so vital to delivering a complete power storage and utilisation solution.
With this in mind and combining it with the fact that many businesses either have already, or are in the process of, utilising the rooves of their warehouses to capture solar energy, Ecobat Battery can provide not just the necessary hardware, but also the specialist knowledge to deliver a self generating energy solution to charge a fleet of forklifts, for example.
This self generating charging solution is made possible thanks to the PV Connect feature in the Charge & Connect portal from Fronius, one of the many brands available through Ecobat Battery. Fronius Selectiva 4.0 chargers already utilise a patented charging protocol, Ri, that can reduce energy usage by up to 30% but, when this is coupled with PV Connect, the energy savings and return on investment of a photovoltaic (PV) system, can be further improved.
PV Connect is a feature available with Fronius’ cloud-based software, Charge & Connect, which combines efficient battery charging technology with a PV system. Instead of purchasing expensive energy from the grid, fleet operators can use their self generated, renewable solar energy to charge the forklift fleet. The benefits are compelling, as those who use the new feature not only reduce energy costs, but also contribute to greater sustainability within the company. With this solution, intelligent charging is also sustainable, while maximising forklift truck availability and increasing overall business efficiencies
PV Connect offers the user accurate weather and PV yield forecasting to manage self generation. This allows the forklift operator to optimally plan and synchronise forklift battery charging with peak solar energy generation hours. Combined with the load balancing charging algorithm, the user can adjust their charging processes based on the availability of PV energy and specify when it will be used. The user then reduces load peaks and is no longer solely dependent on energy providers.
The customer can activate the feature very easily by connecting their Fronius charging system with Charge & Connect, the PV system and the Fronius inverter. During configuration there is a choice of two options: PV-maximum, which makes maximum use of the available PV energy to charge as many batteries as the power allows, and PV-optimum, that optimally adjusts the charging of the batteries needed to the PV energy available, to increase the coverage ratio between power required and PV power deliverable.
Ecobat Battery’s industrial offering, in common with its products supplied across multiple sectors, is supported by a superb level of service, technical advice and backup, and a reputation that comes with a business that has been proactive in the battery market for more than 70 years.
For further details, please visit Ecobat Battery at: https://www.ecobatbattery.com/applications/forklift/