01
Connection
constraints
New chargers can place significant demands on an existing connection. Assess how storage could help manage demand alongside your available grid supply.
Energy storage for commercial vehicle charging
Bank your energy
Power your fleet
Plan charging around your routes, manage energy costs and support electrification from heavy goods vehicles to the last mile.
Generate renewable electricity
Bank the surplus on site
Use it when it matters
The operational challenge
Your fleet has a timetable
Charging needs to fit
Start with the routes, charging windows and connection limits that shape your depot.
Swipe to explore
Connection
02
Charging
windows
Vehicles need energy between duties. Plan around arrival times, departure deadlines and the number of vehicles that need to charge together.
03
Energy
costs
Explore how banked energy could reduce reliance on grid electricity during expensive periods and help manage peaks in depot demand.
04
Fleet
growth
Build an energy plan for your first electric vehicles with a route to expand as more vehicles, chargers and operating requirements are introduced.
The Sherwood FAB · Free Air Bank
We use air and water
to store energy
Bank energy on site.
Use it when your fleet needs it.
The Free Air Bank stores energy for later use, helping businesses make better use of renewable electricity and manage the timing of electricity supply and charging demand.
Electricity can come from generation on site, supply through the grid or a blend of both. Your depot does not need its own solar panels or wind turbines to explore the FAB.
The system is configured around your energy sources, charging equipment, vehicle schedules and available connection. Storage works alongside your chargers and charging controls, rather than replacing them.
Explore the systemGenerate | Bank | Use
Bank the surplus on site
Use it when it matters
Swipe to explore
01 / Generate
Electricity from your available sources
Solar generation and vehicle charging do not always happen at the same time. Bring generation on site and electricity supplied through the grid into one plan for your depot.
02 / Bank
Bank energy
for later use
Electricity drives compression in the FAB. Energy is banked on site as compressed air and retained heat. Plan charging of the FAB around available generation, connection capacity and electricity tariffs.
03 / Use
Support your charging schedule
Retained heat warms the released air, which drives an expander coupled to a generator. Use banked energy to support vehicle charging when demand rises or grid electricity is more expensive.
The FAB stores energy; it does not create it. The right operating strategy depends on your vehicle schedules, electricity supply, tariffs and storage losses.
Different vehicles · Shared energy challenges
From heavy goods vehicles
to the last mile
Build the charging strategy around how your fleet actually operates.
Swipe to explore
Heavy goods vehicles
Plan for demanding duty cycles
Assess the energy required between journeys, the time available to charge and the effect of several vehicles returning to the depot together.
Discuss your fleet
Delivery fleets
Support the next departure
Plan charging for vans and delivery vehicles around route lengths, return times and the energy each vehicle needs before its next duty.
Explore your requirements
Mixed depot operations
Bring the whole site into view
Consider vehicle charging alongside electric shunters, trailer refrigeration, buildings and other depot loads that share the same electricity supply.
Explore refrigeration and transportFlexible by design
Start with today's fleet
Plan for what's next
Replace the diesel supply.
Not just the vehicles.
A diesel depot already has an energy supply strategy: fuel is delivered, stored and dispensed when vehicles need it. Electrification requires the same operational confidence, with enough electricity available to complete the fleet's duties and recharge within the time available.
That means planning both the amount of energy required each day and the power needed when several vehicles charge together. The grid connection is one part of that picture, alongside local generation, banked energy and managed charging.
A suitably configured FAB can bank electricity when supply is available and supplement grid imports during charging peaks. Where feasible, a private wire connection to nearby renewable generation could provide another source of electricity.
Configure the system around today's fleet, with a route to expand as more vehicles become electric.
Configured around your operation
Get the details
that matter
Build the business case around your routes, charging equipment and depot demand, with a clear plan for integration and future growth.
Request technical informationHow can storage help when the grid connection is constrained?
When charging demand exceeds the power available from the grid connection, locally banked energy can supplement the supply. A suitably sized and controlled system can help meet charging demand while keeping grid imports within agreed limits.
The assessment must cover both charging power and total energy demand. Storage needs enough energy to support the required charging window, plus sufficient supply and time to recharge before the next peak.
Review the available options together: managed charging, the existing grid connection, renewable generation, a potential private wire supply and any necessary connection upgrade. Storage can help bridge a power shortfall during charging peaks, but cannot compensate indefinitely for insufficient energy supply.
Generation, tariffs and charging schedules
Match available generation and electricity tariffs against vehicle return times and departure deadlines. The best time to charge the FAB may be different from the best time to charge your vehicles.
Assess potential savings using your actual supply arrangements, operating schedule and system losses. There is no single charging strategy that suits every depot.
Resilience and operational priorities
Identify which vehicles and depot loads take priority if electricity supply is interrupted, and how much energy would be needed to support them.
Any role in backup supply must be specifically designed and assessed, including controls, changeover and operation during a grid outage. Storage alone does not guarantee uninterrupted charging.
Footprint, integration and fleet growth
Assess equipment positioning, electrical connections, vehicle circulation and service access alongside the space needed for chargers and future expansion.
Plan integration with your charging equipment and controls, and review both storage capacity and power requirements as the fleet develops.
Monitoring, maintenance and support
Your FAB's service needs depend on how it is used and the local operating environment. Sherwood uses advanced telemetry to monitor the system remotely, matching servicing to actual use and operating conditions.
Sherwood manages servicing through an operations and maintenance contract, with support arrangements agreed for your proposed system.
Performance and the business case
Request the proposed system's efficiency, design life, component replacement assumptions and warranty terms. These need to reflect your equipment and expected operating cycle.
Compare storage and charging options against the practical alternatives for your depot. Assess costs and carbon outcomes using your electricity sources, vehicle use and plans for growth.
Your site's next step
Let's find the right fit
Tell us about your refrigeration demand, energy supply and plans for electrification. We can explore the requirements and where the FAB could fit.
Share your details and our team will be in touch.