Innovative e-bus charging infrastructure sets an example
Attending a trade fair is successful only when a company’s own innovations meet with such great interest that further ideas and possible applications develop from them even during the talks. This is what happened at the stand of Kiepe Electric Schweiz AG, whose High Power Charging solutions for e-buses are pioneering in their field.
Another novelty that was well received not only by railway operators but also by manufacturers: the 50 kVA silicon carbide converter from Kiepe Electric. It differs from the existing models based on IGBT technology (bipolar transistor with insulated gate electrode) in that it is smaller and around 40% lighter, quiet and considerably more powerful. SiC inverters can nevertheless be seamlessly integrated into the Kiepe Function Module Concept (FMC). This means they are built with standard modules and are individually scalable. To meet all installation and function requirements, the FMC modules can be combined into customised units.
CHARGING E-BUSES WITH EXISTING TRACTION CURRENT
Kiepe Electric is breaking new ground with its sophisticated charging infrastructure for electric buses. For the first time it is possible to tap into existing railway, tram or trolley overhead lines in the depot or along the route for charging e-buses. Because existing infrastructure is used, there is no need for new installations. These ground-breaking innovations attracted a great deal of attention at the trade fair and raised exciting questions about further possible applications. One visitor, for example, wants to offer charging stations on car trains. Another wanted to know whether the High Power Chargers also worked in reverse, i.e. whether the bus charging infrastructure could be fed back into the overhead line, and one is building entire railway lines and stations on greenfield sites; it makes sense to include charging options for e-buses here right away. "We have been inspired by the response to our new products, and of course all these extended applications can be implemented," explains Managing Director Sandro Maciocia. All solutions are space-saving, flexible and customised. Skilful load management avoids peak loads and the high costs associated with those. If a traction current is not nearby or not desired, the High Power Charging systems, or HPC for short, can also be supplied from any other power source, for example from the local energy grid or independent alternative power generators (photovoltaics, etc.). In addition, Kiepe Electric also provides the entire charging technology in containers for decentralised, mobile and temporary use, with battery back-up on request. These units can be dispatched very quickly.
