Leading the Charge

TransNet NZ Limited is a 100% privately owned New Zealand business, founded in East Tamaki in July 2000. Having worked in the electricity industry for a long time firstly on the tools and then sales, Managing Director Spencer Winn had a solid understanding of what was missing. From humble beginnings in a tiny unit, TransNet has grown to a company with 62 employees and offices in China, Australia, Tonga and New Zealand. They recently expanded into a purpose-built facility which houses their warehouse and office and has been designed to allow for expansion. TransNet offers a wide range of products and is one of the largest suppliers in Australasia to the Electrical Distribution, Transmission, Rail, OEM and Wholesale Industry.

A greener future

Spencer has led the company into a more sustainable future. He invested a large amount of money into the building of their new energy efficient facility and the solar micro grid, which has attained ISO 14001 and ISO 14064-1 certification. This illustrated Spencer’s commitment to the environment which filtered down to the staff and encouraged them to follow suit in doing what they can to help. Staff recycle everything they can in the office and also compost their kitchen waste which goes into the onsite vegetable garden. The team was particularly pleased with the glut of passionfruit it produced this year as well as the variety of other produce available to them as a result. It also serves as a peaceful lunch spot on sunny days, with a well-placed memorial bench seat and a grassy area alongside the solar farm. In addition to this, they are continuously working with suppliers to reduce unnecessary packaging and changing any packaging they can to an environmentally responsible alternative.

The micro grid

TransNet has a fully functioning micro grid made up of 70kW worth of solar panels (approx. 280 panels) mounted from the ground, with an additional 80kW worth of roof top solar due to be commissioned in April. The daily operation of the facility uses approximately 40kW and is nearly self-sufficient and, at times, TransNet sells excess power back to the grid. The extra 80kW of solar will increase the typical daily utilisation of battery and ultimately reduce the grid reliance to a very short window in the morning.

The 280-panel solar grid (shortly increasing to 544 panels) works with a smart battery storage system to best utilise the energy captured and power the premises. It is a vanadium redox technology storage system. Vanadium is a metal and behaves as a battery and takes up energy from the sun through the solar panels, stores the energy and then releases it as needed. The smart technology controls the release and consumption of energy. The net effect of the solar/battery/load-shifting reduces their energy footprint drastically and managing the building load is an equally important part of that balance.

The cost of solar panels has significantly reduced, what used to be US$ 6 is now 50 cents while the power generated has increased significantly making production much cheaper. It’s sensible for commercial properties to use solar power as business is in operation during the timeframe where the sun is out, compared to residential property in which people are normally home overnight and have different needs.

Operating efficiently

Electric forklifts are used in the warehouse and need charging once a week. They have been assessed to know how much energy they require to fully charge. TransNet plug them in on Friday afternoons and leave them to charge over the weekend.

The storage system waits until it is fully charged itself before dispensing energy to the forklifts. It assesses the solar capabilities and if by Sunday afternoon the weather has been poor and it won’t be possible to charge the forklifts from solar energy, it will switch over to the grid to ensure the forklifts are fully charged by Monday morning.

The roof of the office captures 25,000L of rainwater in underground tanks for use in irrigation and flushing toilets. This makes a significant difference to the volume of mains-water supply the building uses.

Every light is LED, most of which are controlled by motion or light sensors to use the minimum amount of power possible and saves approximately 80% of energy usage (compared with standard lighting options). The LED lights are TransNet’s very own brand ECOLight, established 10 years ago.

They have scheduled hot water and delay the fresh air fan to start later in the day in winter. Window shades are used to keep the building cool in summer which relieves some of the work required of the air conditioning unit. By adjusting where possible, and with no detrimental effect on comfort, TransNet save a large amount on energy consumption.

Electric vehicles

Glenn Inskter, Head of TransNet’s E-Mobility Division, is a strong advocate for the electric vehicle (EV). He says, “People are fairly divided over EVs but once you start driving one, you will never go back to petrol. Every car manufacturer is now producing them, and they are becoming very user friendly.” Glenn believes EVs are to the next ten years what smartphones were to the last, that soon everyone will be driving them, and they will be more advanced than ever.

Before smartphone devices, our mobile phone batteries would last many of us a week and we would charge to 100% after running it flat. These days we would be lucky to go a full day without charging our smartphones and would normally plug them in at the computer desk or bedside overnight. We also use our smartphones very differently to how we used earlier mobiles. Glenn explains that we need to look at EVs in comparison to petrol vehicles in a similar fashion; while we might fill our car with petrol when the light comes on – or a few k’s after – we need to charge EVs at equally appropriate times such as overnight or while sitting in the carpark. EVs run differently to petrol vehicles and with some adjustments to our mindset, we will easily manage the charging requirements.

Charging infrastructure

Range anxiety, the worry that one might end up with a flat battery and far from a charging station, is equally as worrying as ending up with an empty tank far from a petrol station and can be mitigated with equal ease. Similarly, to how society adjusted to the different needs of smartphones, we can adjust to the needs of an EV. Glenn explains, “If people drive an average of 30km on a workday, an overnight charge would see them with enough battery to drive that route many times over. Furthermore, the technology is developing and within a few years, charging stations will become increasingly accessible.”

TransNet have recently installed seven Wallbox charging stations in the new Sylvia Park carpark. These will easily be expanded when necessary up to 75 charging stations, and the stations are ‘smart’. They have built-in load sharing and monitor charging sessions. This is key as EVs use a lot of energy so managing how they charge can prevent overloading by exceeding available current. When an EV is added to or taken off charge while others remain, the station can self-manage safely spreading the load.

For company vehicles, home chargers can be installed that easily track charge session costs so they can be reimbursed to the employee. TransNet’s smart charging stations can be set to charge at specific times which reduces the risk of overdrawing on energy. With overnight charging, which would come with off-peak rates, there is less strain on the network as well, and it is better for the environment. The stations are easily updated with software upgrades so they will sustain advances in technology.

TransNet are introducing EVs to their fleet as quickly as they can. It’s important to understand how the vehicle will be used before choosing the right car to fit the user.

East Tamaki moving forward

East Tamaki is expanding rapidly and increasing the pressure on the power supply to the area. With the introduction and fast uptake of EV, there will be an increasing strain on the electricity supply which could result in more fossil fuels being used to generate the supply for those bigger peaks harming the environment, and costing everyone more. Businesses in the area all need to be more energy efficient to relieve this strain. This will allow East Tamaki to take advantage of the renewable energy sources instead, both benefiting the environment and aligning with New Zealand values, as well as saving money. The team at TransNet stress the importance of taking the time to better understand how your company uses power, and how much your properties need.

� transnet.co.nz