ENERGY
businesswire | May 19, 2023
Lightning eMotors a leading provider of zero-emission, medium-duty commercial vehicles and electric vehicle technology for fleets, announced today that it is supplying to Vanderbilt University six Lightning ZEV4™ electric shuttle buses. The shuttles are expected to be delivered and deployed in Q2 2023 for the intercampus transportation service, VandyRide.
The zero emission shuttle buses are built on the GM-based Lightning ZEV4 platform and feature 120 kWh of thermally-managed Proterra battery packs that deliver up to 130 miles of range and support both Level 2 AC and DC fast charge capability. Vanderbilt’s vehicles ride on a 159-inch wheelbase and have been upfitted with shuttle bus bodies from Forest River to carry 14 passengers each.
“A top 20 university nationally, Vanderbilt is renowned for its transformative approach to education and research. It is an honor for us to be a chosen fleet electrification provider as they transform their intercampus student transportation to zero-emission, all-electric platforms,” said Jeremy Hiler, sales director, Eastern US at Lightning eMotors. “We are confident drivers, passengers and fleet managers will appreciate the electric performance, quiet ride and reduced maintenance, and of course, the environmental benefits of the Lightning ZEV4.”
Vanderbilt is leasing the initial pilot run of six vehicles from Forest River dealer Carpenter Bus Sales, with charging infrastructure supported by Vanderbilt partner Electrada. The vehicles will also be equipped with Lightning’s leading EV fleet telematics software, Lightning Insights. This real-time telematics and charge management suite features an API for seamless integration with Electrada’s charging infrastructure.
“Vanderbilt is committed to lowering its carbon footprint, so switching to electric vehicles in our shuttle fleet is a top priority,” said Lindsey Ganson, assistant director of mobility at Vanderbilt University. “We’re so excited to have our Lightning ZEV4 shuttles in action before the fall semester begins, and we are looking forward to working with Lightning.”
This EV deployment further establishes Vanderbilt University as a sustainability leader among U.S. colleges. The university recently “flipped the switch” on the 35-megawatt Vanderbilt I Solar Farm in Bedford County, Tennessee, which was first announced in 2020. The location will reduce the majority of the university’s greenhouse gas emissions produced indirectly from electricity purchased from Nashville Electric Service and TVA. A planned second solar farm in Moore County, Tennessee, will supply enough renewable energy to mitigate the remaining emissions.
In 2021, Vanderbilt became the first member of the Association of American Universities to achieve carbon neutrality through its own renewable energy initiatives and a carbon pollution permit collaboration with Climate Vault. Recently, the university announced a new collaboration with Clearloop to further reduce its carbon footprint by investing in additional solar energy projects, the first of which will be located in Batesville, Mississippi. The transition to these new EV shuttles will help Vanderbilt further reduce its direct emissions.
About Lightning eMotors
Lightning eMotors has been providing specialized and sustainable fleet solutions since 2009, deploying complete zero-emission-vehicle (ZEV) solutions for commercial fleets since 2018. In that time, we have deployed a variety of vehicle classes and applications including but not limited to cargo and passenger vans, ambulances, transit and shuttle buses, school buses, specialty work trucks, and electric powertrains for school buses, transit buses and motor coaches. The Lightning eMotors team designs, engineers, customizes, and manufactures zero-emission vehicles to support the wide array of fleet customer needs with a full suite of control software, telematics, analytics, and charging solutions to simplify the buying and ownership experience and maximize uptime and energy efficiency.
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INDUSTRY UPDATES
Scout Clean Energy | March 15, 2023
Scout Clean Energy (Scout), a renewable energy developer-owner-operator, has recently announced its acceptance of the final delivery of GE Renewable Energy (GE) company's onshore wind turbines for its Sweetland Wind Project (Sweetland) in Hand County, South Dakota.
Scout is owner and responsible for the operations of this project. It plans to install about 71 of GE's 2.8-127 wind turbines. Sweetland will produce over 903,500-megawatt hours of low-cost renewable power annually. As a result, the project would offset approximately 615,000 tons of carbon emissions per year. It would power about 82,100 homes with carbonless electricity as an estimation. The American Clean Power Association (ACPA) has recognized GE's 2.8-127 turbine series as America's most widely deployed turbine. It has selected Blattner Energy as the Balance of Plant (BOP) Contractor. The project would generate huge revenue, temporary construction jobs and permanent full-time positions.
CEO and Founder of Scout Clean Energy, Michael Rucker said, "We are pleased to have received the on-time delivery of the 71 of the latest GE wind turbines for Sweetland Wind Farm," He added, "The final delivery allows for our Sweetland project to begin full construction shortly, and when commissioned later this year will add to Scout's growing contribution of carbon free, renewable energy to South Dakota."
(Source – Cision PR Newswire)
CEO of GE's Onshore Wind, Vic Abate said, "GE is proud to complete the on-time deliveries of our workhorse 2.8-127 turbines to Sweetland Wind Farm." He added, "With more than 300 million operating hours and best in industry power performance, our fleet of 2MW turbines are helping to deliver cost effective and reliable renewable energy to the regions that need it most. Scout Clean Energy is an important partner as we work to deliver on the energy transition together."
(Source – Cision PR Newswire)
About Scout Clean Energy
Headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, Scout Clean Energy, a renewable energy semiconductor manufacturing company, provides services for wind project development, energy resource assessment, transmission interconnection, project finance, wind energy real estate and title, solar project development, and wind facility operation. It is a renewable energy developer and owner-operator with approximately 1,200 MW operating wind assets, of which about 400 MW for third parties and over 22,000 MW wind, solar and energy storage projects with almost 2,500 MW projects which are under construction and advanced-stage. In addition, it assists in various aspects of renewables like project development, permitting, power marketing, asset management, operations, and finance.
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SUSTAINABILITY
Octopus Energy | March 17, 2023
Octopus Energy, the UK’s third largest energy retailer, has announced plans to invest €1 billion in the French green energy market over the next two years.
The investment will be used to accelerate the energy transition in France and generate enough local green power to supply 300,000 households.
Building on its investments already made in France, the company is launching a new European tech hub in Paris through its subsidiary Kraken. The new hub will create hundreds of clean energy jobs and support millions of customers across the continent.
Octopus Energy first entered the French market in January 2022 with its acquisition of French energy supplier Plüm énergie. The company is now targeting 1 million customers by 2026 in France.
While offering better customer service and bringing down prices, Octopus Energy France is also helping and rewarding French households to lower their energy consumption through innovative products. The company's customers already use 10% less energy than the average French household, and Octopus is committed to continue innovating to help French consumers use less, but stay warm.
Announcing the plans at the 36th Franco-British Summit, chaired by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris today, Octopus Energy CEO and Founder, Greg Jackson, commented: “Octopus operates across 10 European countries, and today we’re delighted to announce a huge increase in our cooperation with France.
We’re planning to invest an extra billion Euros in French generation - but we’re also going to make Paris our EU technology hub. This is testament to the mutual commitment to investing in a clean energy system, and pioneering the digitisation which will drive costs down alongside carbon.”
Vincent Maillard, CEO of Octopus Energy France, commented: “We are very proud to see Octopus Energy's role in France's energy transition recognized at the highest level of the French government.
In doing so, the group combines retail energy expertise, major investments in renewable generation and cutting-edge technology to unlock innovative tariffs and deliver an outstanding customer experience to French households."
About Octopus Energy Group
Octopus Energy Group is a global energy tech pioneer, launched in 2016 to use technology to unlock a customer focused and affordable green energy revolution. It is part of Octopus Group, which is a certified BCorp. With operations in 14 countries, Octopus Energy Group's mission is going global.
Octopus’s domestic energy arm already serves 3.4 million customers with cheaper greener power, through Octopus Energy, Affect Energy, Ebico, London Power and Co-op Energy. In December 2022, it was announced that Octopus would also take on the 1.5 million customers of failed supplier Bulb Energy. Octopus Electric Vehicles is helping make clean transport cheaper and easier, and Octopus Energy Services is bringing smart products to thousands of homes. Octopus Energy Generation is one of Europe’s largest investors in renewable energy, managing a £4bn portfolio of renewable energy assets throughout the continent.
All of these are made possible by Octopus’s tech arm, Kraken Technologies, which offers a proprietary, in-house platform based on advanced data and machine learning capabilities, Kraken automates much of the energy supply chain to allow outstanding service and efficiency as the world transitions to a decentralized, decarbonized energy system. This technology has been licensed to support over 20 million customer accounts worldwide, through deals with EDF Energy, Good Energy, E.ON energy and Origin Energy.
In December 2021, Octopus Energy Group was valued at approximately $5 billion following a $600 million investment from Generation Investment Management and a $300 million investment from Canada Pensions Plan Investments Board. Both investors back businesses that drive sustainability, promote green energy and tackle climate change. It was the company’s third major investment round since launching to the market.
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