The Wall Street Journal
Electrical Grid Parts Shortages Are Slowing Truck-Charging Projects
Freight-sector electrification is competing with the growing power needs of semiconductor plants, data centers and other technology projects
June 20, 2023 by Paul Berger
Excerpt from the Wall Street Journal:
Installing the infrastructure for heavy-duty electric trucks is a challenge, said Zeina El-Azzi, CEO of Gage Zero, a startup that develops and manages infrastructure for electric fleets.
El-Azzi said because electric trucks have a limited range, chargers must be located close to ports or warehouse districts where land may already be in short supply. Startups must also navigate local permitting requirements and coordinate with power companies to ensure they have enough electricity, or the needed power upgrades, to charge dozens of trucks at the same time. “We are at less than 1 percent of what needs to be built out,” she said.
El-Azzi, who managed new large wind and solar energy projects for the global wind turbine manufacturer now known as Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy and for Fenice Energy, formerly known as SunEdison, said EV-charging projects require detailed schedules, contracts that penalize suppliers for delays and “a little bit of a buffer” to account for holdups.