Fronius Perfect Charging facilitates sustainable charging of forklift fleets - Intelligent charging with solar energy

Rising electricity prices and increasingly strict environmental regulations demand cost-effective processes in intralogistics. Companies therefore need forklifts and AGVs that they can operate in a reliable and environmentally friendly manner. The cloud-based software solution Charge & Connect is Fronius Perfect Charging’s response to these challenges. The new function allows users to use self-produced solar energy to charge forklift trucks.  

The feature, which combines efficient battery charging technology with a Fronius PV system, is called PV Connect. Instead of purchasing expensive energy from the grid via the energy supplier, the fleet operator can use their self-produced, renewable solar energy to charge their forklift fleet. The benefits are impressive, as anyone who uses the new function will reduce their energy costs whilst simultaneously contributing to greater sustainability in the company. “With this solution, we have ensured that intelligent charging is also sustainable,” stresses Patrick Gojer, Business Unit Manager Perfect Charging. “Customers also enjoy maximum availability of the forklift trucks and become more competitive.”  

Sustainable at the touch of a button
What is possible with the new function? The user can control their self-consumption individually. PV Connect offers the user accurate weather and PV yield forecasts for this purpose. 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 the self-generated energy will be used. The user also reduces load spikes and is no longer solely dependent on energy providers.  

The customer can activate the function very easily by connecting their Fronius battery chargers with Charge & Connect, the photovoltaic system and the Fronius inverter. During configuration there is a choice between two options: PV-maximum makes maximum use of the PV energy available. Precisely as many batteries are charged as the PV power that is available allows. PV-optimum optimally adjusts the charging of the batteries needed to the PV energy available to increase the coverage ratio between power required and PV power.