V-Force Energy Solutions - Flipbook - Page 29
As you build out your
energy strategy, it’s
important to maintain
flexibility for new and
emerging technologies
that may improve
efficiency and ROI.
FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS FOR
FUEL STORAGE AND CHARGING
METHODS
As you build out your energy strategy, it’s
important to maintain flexibility for new and
emerging technologies that may improve
efficiency and ROI. The following are trends
to consider.
ALTERNATIVE POWER SOLUTIONS
While your fleet currently might be solely
comprised of lead-acid battery-powered
forklifts, there is a chance that could change
in the future. As mentioned in Chapter 3,
there are viable alternatives to lead-acid
batteries, including lithium-ion batteries and
fuel cell technologies, that may deliver greater
efficiency and more uptime for your business.
INTEGRATED BATTERY MONITORING
The Internet of Things (IoT) has transformed
warehouses using connected technology to
enable employees and equipment to work
smarter and more efficiently. For example,
forklift solutions providers like Crown use
connected technology and forklift telematics
to help optimize forklift performance, enhance
productivity and support safety initiatives.
Some battery chargers can be connected
and configured into charging pools to
perform optional simple battery queuing
(SBQ). They do this by monitoring either the
highest state of charge or the longest charge
time to indicate the next available batteries.
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ENERGY AND LOAD MANAGEMENT
Greater connectivity can enable charger
groups to better manage their energy
demand and overall energy cost. Triggers can
include spot pricing limits, target peak loads
or limited infrastructure. A growing number of
utility providers also offer demand response
enabling devices that signal to the controller
charger through the charger’s IO expansion
interface. The charger can be programmed
to impose a group power limit when these
signals are present. The utilities offer financial
rewards for complying with these requests.
Energy IoT technology can be integrated with
energy storage systems and renewables,
such as solar or wind, to generate and store
reserve power onsite. This allows companies
to actively manage their power and
participate in what’s known as “peak shaving”
to reduce reliance on the electrical grid during
peak demand hours. Solutions providers can
combine chargers, batteries, energy storage
systems and alternative power generation
infrastructure to deliver complete, warehouselevel power integration.
