Shoreham Port establishing electric HGV charging

Overview

Shoreham Port approached DW Energy with a clear requirement: to support the arrival of its first two electric HGVs with reliable overnight charging on site.

As an operational port, the project needed to work within the constraints of the existing electrical supply, make use of the port’s existing 90 kWp solar PV array and keep disruption to daily port activity to a minimum.

DW Energy designed and delivered a charging system made up of two 80 kW EV chargers and a 200 kWh battery storage system, helping Shoreham Port take a practical step towards fleet electrification while keeping renewable energy at the centre of the project.

Client testimonial

“With the addition of our first two new electric HGVs to our haulage fleet we needed a solution to charging them overnight at Shoreham Port. The project had to be designed within the constraints of the existing electrical supply.

DW Energy designed us a charging system consisting of two 80 kW chargers and a 200 kWh battery storage system utilising an existing 90 kWp solar PV array, providing the majority of our electrical demand from renewable energy.

The project had a very tight deadline but DW Energy’s teams of highly skilled electrical engineers and civil engineering subcontractors completed the project on time and within budget. There are challenges working in an operational port but DW Energy’s team worked with the port on making the project run smoothly to minimise any disruption.

From the initial contact through to commissioning, DW Energy were professional and accommodating. We are pleased with the final project and would highly recommend DW Energy.”

The challenge

Ports are busy, high movement environments where downtime and disruption carry a real operational cost. For Shoreham Port, the introduction of electric HGVs created a new energy requirement: charging heavy vehicles reliably overnight, without overloading the existing electrical supply.

The system also needed to support the port’s wider sustainability goals. Rather than relying only on imported grid electricity, Shoreham Port wanted to make better use of the renewable energy already being generated by its 90 kWp solar PV array.

The solution

DW Energy designed a combined EV charging and battery storage system for the site, including two 80 kW Rolec chargers and a 200 kWh battery storage system.

Battery storage is a key part of the business case. It allows renewable electricity generated on site to be stored and used when the electric HGVs need charging, improving the value of the port’s existing solar investment and reducing reliance on grid electricity.

The installation also included the required electrical upgrades, new cabling, trenching, ducts, concrete plinths and white lining to support safe vehicle access and charging. Careful planning helped the works fit around the needs of a live port environment.

The result

Shoreham Port now has the infrastructure in place to charge its first electric HGVs overnight, with a system designed around both operational needs and energy efficiency.

For ports considering electric HGVs, this project shows why charging infrastructure needs to be planned as part of a wider energy strategy. Battery storage can help manage site capacity, reduce pressure on the grid and make greater use of renewable electricity already being produced on site.

Closing summary

For Shoreham Port, this project was about more than installing chargers. It created the energy infrastructure needed to support electric HGVs in a demanding port environment, while helping the site retain more value from its own renewable generation.

Delivered on time and within budget, the project gives Shoreham Port a strong foundation for the next stage of fleet electrification.

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