Why Electrification

Why Electrification

The Paris Agreement, adopted in 2015 by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, includes a commitment by all signatories to submit a new Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) every five years. The NDCs set out countries goals for curbing their greenhouse gas emissions, and the measures they are using to achieve those objectives.

Each NDC is supposed to show “a progression” from the previous one, committing countries to a deeper cut in emissions than envisaged in the previous plan. Countries have been setting goals for net zero greenhouse gas emissions by the middle of the century 2050, and intermediate objectives for cuts by the 2030s.
Accelerating the transition toward low or net-zero carbon emissions is necessary to keep global warming at theoretically safe levels. One of the fastest and perhaps the most economical ways to ensure decarbonization is by using clean energy sources such as electricity at the consumption and moving towards renewable energy sources at the generation.

Corporate sustainability initiatives and government regulations that promote net-zero carbon emissions are increasing. In December 2021, the President signed an executive order to transition the U.S. government to net-zero by 2050 and reach a 65% reduction in emissions by 2030. Funding packages such as the American Rescue Plant Act of 2021 and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act are pushing significant incremental funding towards sustainable infrastructure projects and many of America’s largest companies have established their own, more aggressive net-zero targets.

Green Cubes is strongly poised to be a preferred partner of OEMs and Commercial Enterprises in aiding their transition to Modern Electrification. Green Cubes achieves this by providing a Clean, Connected and Cost-Effective Ecosystem based on our Products and Power Solutions.

Clean

Green Cubes has been at the forefront of transition to Modern Electrification in the Material Handling and Aviation Ground Support Equipment Industries. Green Cubes Power Solutions have led and accelerated this transition by providing the most advanced Lithium-Ion Batteries and Chargers, enabling Motive Power to all electric Material Handling Equipment (MHE) classes 1-3.

Green Cubes being the Only Single Source of both Batteries and Chargers has further eased the transition from Lead Acid Systems to Lithium-Ion ensuring a seamless route to a more efficient and environment friendly operations. Similarly Green Cubes can be a partner of choice in meeting the electrification needs of several other Industries by providing a Modern Electrification Ecosystem to realize the exact requirements of different applications in these Industries.

Green Cubes is committed to ensure a lower carbon footprint by focusing on sustainability of its operations as well. Green Cubes is the founding member in CircuBAT, a Swiss research program that aims to create a Swiss circular business model for the production, application, and recycling of Lithium-ion batteries. CircuBAT brings together 24 companies and seven research institutes to look for ways to boost sustainability in all stages of a battery’s life cycle.

Green Cubes has made a multi-year financial investment in the CircuBAT program. The company will also contribute first-use lithium-ion batteries for experimentation and testing within the program, provide engineering design services to develop new more-efficient batteries, and contribute intellectual property to achieve the objectives of CircuBAT.

Green Cubes will participate in two working groups. The “First Use” group will focus on extending the life of first-use batteries through extensive analysis of deployed batteries in the field. Green Cubes will contribute performance data collected from its prolific installed base of Lithium-ion batteries. The “Second Life” group will focus on creating second-use and second-life opportunities to minimize the total CO2 footprint of lithium-ion battery systems during their lifetime.

Since its inception 35 years ago, Green Cubes has gained considerable experience minimizing the environmental impact of its deployed batteries. This positive impact will be amplified with a system of second life batteries, where the installed base of first use batteries is redeployed when they reach a certain age limit. The Lithium-ion cells used in Green Cubes batteries are non-toxic and are currently recycled and reprocessed at their end of life. Going forward, these cells can be repurposed into less demanding second life applications such as backup energy storage.


Connected

Green Cubes advanced Batteries and Chargers include Connectivity Options to enable Internet of Things (IoT) based Power Solutions. Connectivity to the Cloud via an IoT gateway enables Smart, Connected Platforms for Motive, Mobile and Stationary Applications. Smart, Connected Platforms pave way for Intelligent Systems that can accelerate Automation reduce Human Intervention and empower Data driven Decision Making and Analytics.

For example, Green Cubes has successfully deployed IoT based Asset Management in Material Handling and Aviation Ground Support Equipment Industries with its MAESTRO IoT Asset Management Platform. MAESTRO helps facilities in Fleet Management by Remote Monitoring the Assets and providing Real Time visibility with the help of Data acquired from these Assets via an IoT gateway.

Shows the total fleet size, with details on the connected and disconnected devices.

Includes : Status of the batteries. Health of the batteries. Recent Warnings/notification/alerts.

Provides List or Grid view of all batteries based on the operational condition of BMS’s.

Analysis tools for user defined goals

Reporting tools using the power and location data.

Al algorithm integration to run for predictucs diagnostics and workflow improvements.

MAESTRO serves as an ideal tool that aids Facility Managers in Improving Asset Utilization and Operations Efficiency and Enhancing the Lifetime of the Asset, thereby reducing both the Opex and Capex of their Operations.

Features that make MAESTRO’s Facility Management System a competitive advantage are:

  • Presents real-time battery performance data on a customizable dashboard
  • Increases fleet utilization by optimizing charging regimes and indicating when opportunity charging can be utilized 
  • Anticipates when battery service will be needed, and provides instant access for remote service technicians  
  • Provides understanding of usage patterns for capacity planning  
  • Lowers electrical consumption and energy costs 
  • Allows users to select the optimal time to charge batteries (i.e., charge at lower cost, off peak hours)

In fact, Green Cubes MAESTRO IoT Asset Management Platform has gained Industry Recognition by bagging the 4th Annual 2021 IoT Innovator Awards for the Aviation/Airport category: Read about it


Similarly Green Cubes can enable SMART (system monitoring and reporting technology) IoT based Power Solutions across Industries to realize Smart, Connected Platforms for Motive, Mobile and Stationary Applications.

Complete Power Ecosystem

Cost Effective

Though Lithium-Ion Power Solutions have a higher Initial Cost, Green Cubes has delivered significantly Lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) compared to Lead Acid or even fossil fuel based Internal Combustion Engines and achieved quicker Return on Investment (ROI) for Commercial Enterprises engaged in the Material Handling and Aviation Ground Support Equipment Industries. 

When you consider the total cost of ownership, lithium-ion power solutions require zero maintenance and increase productivity by reducing charge time:

  • Eliminates battery changes with faster charge times (from 100% depth of discharge to fully charged in 1 hour)
  • Eliminates time and labor for battery changes and the burden of battery watering (every lead-acid battery is watered every 2 weeks)
  • Lower electrical utility cost for charging 
  • Lithium battery charging is 95% efficient vs. 80% efficiency with lead-acid batteries.
  • Lithium batteries do not need an 8- to 10-hour equalization charge once a week
  • Eliminates battery handling rooms, ventilation accommodations, eye wash stations and safety gear
  • Eliminates battery rooms and allows this area to become a staging area, additional pallet rack, break room, or maintenance shop.
  • 100% utilization with lithium batteries (one battery per truck) vs. up to 3 lead-acid batteries per truck (33% asset utilization)
  • Many companies report up to a 65% savings and ROI within the first 2-3 years.

Similarly Green Cubes can leverage its experience in the Material Handling and Aviation Ground Support Equipment Industries to help build Cost-Effective Power Solutions for other Industries that hold the same challenges.

Modes of Electrification

There are three primary modes of energy storage used with electrification - Lead-acid, Lithium and Hydrogen. The best option depends on your overall needs. For each of the markets we serve, Lithium is challenging the incumbent legacy an emerging technologies that operate in those markets today. For each of those markets, Lithium provides short and long term advantages, and is the fastest growing mode for industrial applications
Lead Acid Lithium-Ion Fuel Cell
Specific Energy 30-40 WH/KG 110-250 WH/KG Varies
Weight Heavy Weight (3X LIB) Light Weight Varies
Energy Density 50-90 WH/L 125-600+ WH/L Varies
Footprint High Low Medium
Initial Cost Low Medium High
Total Cost of Ownership High Low Medium
Operating Cost High Low Medium
Runtime Shorter Longer Longer
Depth of Discharge 50-80% 80-100%
Round Trip Efficiency 80% 90%
Peukert Effect Yes No No
Charge Time 8-10 Hours 1-3 Hours 10 Minutes
Cool Down Period 8 Hours None None
Life Cycle 500-1500 Cycles 3000-5000+ Cycles 8+ Years
Performance Low Efficiency High Efficiency Medium Efficiency
Range Shorter Longer Longer
Multi Shift Operation Low Productivity High Productivity High Productivity
Opportunity Charging Not Possible Possible Possible
Carbon Footprint High Low Low
Regular Maintenance Weekly Watering, Ventilation, Carrosion None High Complexity, Requires Specialization
Environmental Hazardous Effects No Hazardous
Effects
No Hazardous Effects
Safety Precautionary Measures Required Inherently Safe
(with BMS),
Non Explosive
Explosive Material
Adoption Widely used, Declining Growing Narrow Limited