VEV provided a full turnkey solution from planning and design to power connection, procurement, project management and build of the clean energy microgrid comprising solar power, battery storage and 34 EV chargers. The Dawson Road site in Milton Keynes is the largest hub for Dawsongroup vans’ vehicles and fleet maintenance operations.
The microgrid features a powerful 262kWp solar energy system with two double cantilever carports. The 300kWh battery units store energy generated from the solar panels and then charge vehicles, reducing demand on the national grid. Electric vehicles supplied to customers from Milton Keynes will have been charged using renewable energy.
As part of the five-year full-service package, the microgrid and charging ecosystem is managed through VEV’s proprietary data platform, VEV-IQ. This integrated charger and energy management system operates the charging infrastructure and uses intelligent load balancing to optimise energy usage across all sources – the grid, solar power and battery storage. It provides invaluable insights to the fleet manager to maximise operational and cost efficiency.
Dawsongroup vans is forecasting carbon emissions savings from the project of 65 tonnes per year. The business will showcase the new clean energy ecosystem as part of the work its ‘Team Target Zero’ advisors do to assist customers and suppliers with their carbon reduction plans. The sophisticated ecosystem at Dawson Road plays a crucial role in reinforcing the cost and efficiency benefits of switching to electric fleets.
With a nationwide fleet of 13,000 vehicles and a fast-growing EV estate, Dawsongroup vans is at the forefront of innovation and electrified solutions in commercial vehicle hire. The group’s Smarter Asset Strategy solutions provide businesses with the flexibility to adapt to new technologies and a changing world by utilising usership over ownership. They support customers transitioning to net zero through advice on alternative fuel and power sources, streamlining processes, and improving efficiencies to save energy and money. Read more about the Smarter Asset Strategy here.
VEV CEO Mike Nakrani said: “We are delighted to work with a nationwide service provider that’s on a mission to inspire more fleets to make the switch to electric. It was fantastic to see the microgrid and EV infrastructure become a reality at Dawson Road in December after breaking ground in Spring 2024. We are looking forward to continuing to work closely with the team there as our experts in energy and operations leverage VEV-IQ to optimise the clean energy ecosystem and deliver cost-efficiencies for Dawsongroup vans.”
Stephen Miller, CEO of Dawsongroup, commented: “As a leading player in the UK’s commercial vehicle hire sector, Dawsongroup has a desire to help lead the way in decarbonising fleets. We chose to leverage VEV’s expertise in delivering end-to-end electrification solutions for our Vans business and can now show our customers how they can thrive in the electric age and meet emissions-reduction obligations. We’re delighted with our new clean energy microgrid at Dawson Road and are exploring how to bring electrification further into our business.”
