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Nidec Conversion and Y3K inaugurate the first Smart e-Mobility Solution project to make five GLS logistics hubs energy self-sufficient

Nidec and Y3K

The Smart e-Mobility Solution in Alessandria, along with Vercelli and Biella, is one of the first three operational platforms, enabling up to nine months of independence from the power grid per year, promoting the economic and environmental sustainability of the sites.

 

Alessandria, September 25, 2024 – Nidec Conversion and Y3K officially presented today, at the GLS logistics hub in Alessandria, in the presence of 100 invitees representing institutions, leading logistics companies, renewable energy providers, refueling stations, and electric charging operators, the first Smart e-Mobility Solution project. This initiative aims to make logistics facilities, fleet parks, and electric vehicle charging services sustainable and energy self-sufficient.

Nidec Conversion, part of the Japanese Nidec Group, specializes in energy efficiency, with significant expertise in integrated systems for electric vehicle charging, energy production, and storage from renewable sources, and their integration into power grids. Y3K is a reference point for companies and individuals seeking to undertake ecological transitions, focusing on photovoltaics, energy storage, charging points, and the rental of commercial and electric vehicles. The Smart e-Mobility Solution proposed by the two companies integrates charging systems with photovoltaics, battery storage, and a comprehensive service for the rental, monitoring, and 24/7 support of full electric commercial vehicles.

The inauguration event officially marked the first six months of operation of the Smart e-Mobility Solution platform at three GLS locations in Piedmont—Biella, Vercelli, and Alessandria, the latter also being the venue for the presentation of the project born from the vision of Nidec Conversion and Y3K.

The collaboration began in 2022, with the goal of making the charging of vehicles rented from Y3K for GLS sites, intended for short- and medium-range logistics and delivery services (approximately 200 km per day), more efficient and sustainable. The installation of photovoltaic panels allowed Nidec to create a multifunctional e-Mobility platform that enables both ultra-fast charging through Nidec Conversion DC dispensers, with power up to 300 kW, and slow overnight charging via AC wall boxes with power modulation and load management, up to 22 kW, using almost exclusively 100% green self-produced energy from the photovoltaic panels.

The Smart e-Mobility Solution technology is now fully operational at three of the five GLS logistics facilities in Piedmont, with the goal of covering all five (in addition to Biella, Vercelli, and Alessandria, also Alba and Asti) by the end of 2025.

The innovation of the system proposed by Nidec Conversion lies in the structure of the platform itself, which features a container divided into two areas: the storage, i.e., the batteries, and the energy conversion system, which draws and utilizes solar energy collected from the photovoltaic panels and, only in winter months or emergencies, uses the existing electrical grid, which remains unmodified during installation.

This process makes the logistics facility more sustainable and energy self-sufficient for 9 to 12 months a year, thanks to the accumulation of solar energy from the on-site photovoltaic system. To date, the three operational sites have generated and managed approximately 500 MWh through the Smart e-Mobility Solution, enabling commercial vehicles to travel 823,000 km with zero emissions, compared to the 626 tons of CO2 that would have been released into the environment by internal combustion engines (ICE). Additionally, energy savings extended to all auxiliary services at the sites (lighting, air conditioning, machinery, and IT systems, etc.), which benefited from the Nidec platform’s power supply.

The shared mission of Nidec Conversion and Y3K is to spread these technologies and their associated business model among companies operating large fleets of BEVs (Battery Electric Vehicles). In addition to reducing CO2 emissions and promoting greater environmental sustainability at their operational sites, these companies will also benefit from reduced management costs in the medium to long term, thanks to self-consumption from the platform and the speed of implementing, installing, and activating the Smart e-Mobility Solution systems.

Roberto Molino, founder of Y3K and CEO of the five involved GLS sites, commented, “A work built on synergies and shared goals and values: this is what underlies the relationship between us and Nidec. I hope that today’s milestone is just the first of many, with the perspective of making more companies aware of the importance and benefits of the energy transition, which we firmly believe in and have been investing in for years.”

Claudio Fapanni, eMobility Sales Business Development Global Leader at Nidec Conversion, stated, “We are proud to have inaugurated this project today. Nidec strongly believes in the possibility of spreading technologies that best support companies’ energy transition paths, and our Smart e-Mobility Solution is tangible proof of what can be done for the planet with the right innovations. From the first meeting with Dr. Molino, we shared a vision of environmental sustainability, and we are excited about the journey taken up with our partner Y3K, with whom we can finally share the results and spread the solution to other forward-thinking companies.”

 

About Y3K

Y3K is a company founded in 2008 in Alessandria by Dr. Roberto Molino, an entrepreneur who decided to create a solid reality dedicated to the rental of commercial vehicles, electric mobility, and ecological transition for businesses and individuals. Over the years, the company has stood out for its continuous commitment to innovation and sustainability, specializing in providing “turnkey” solutions by creating projects ranging from photovoltaics to storage, charging systems, and electric vehicles. After activation, Y3K provides 24/7 monitoring and, if needed, prompt and preventive intervention.

 

About Nidec Conversion

Nidec Conversion offers complete and customized electrical systems for energy efficiency, maximizing the use of renewable sources to provide stable and clean energy to its charging stations. Its target markets include energy (traditional and renewable), port electrification, steel, petrochemical, marine, and industrial automation. The company has significant expertise in integrated systems for the production and storage of electric energy (i.e., BESS) from renewable sources and their integration into power grids, as well as the design and implementation of infrastructure for electric vehicle charging. Nidec Conversion is a commercial platform of the Nidec Group, offering complete electrical systems worldwide, bringing together products and services from Nidec ASI, Avtron Industrial Automation, Nidec Industrial Automation, and Motortecnica. Nidec Conversion is capable of offering optimized motor control technologies and developing automation solutions tailored to specific applications based on customer needs.

 

 

Nidec Conversion Press Office

Barabino & Partners 

Fabrizio Grassi – [email protected]: +39 392 7392125

Elisa Jandolo Cossu – [email protected]: +39 349 9398398

 

Y3K ITALY SRL

Andrea Brunetti – [email protected]: +39 397137 88