Centurion has marked a major milestone in its sustainable freight journey by launching its second truck charging site powered by 100 per cent renewable energy.
Centurion’s Perth Airport depot now operates two off-grid charging systems for its burgeoning electric fleet.
The North site was commissioned back in February and the South charging site is now live from this week, adding a further 10 Mercedes-Benz eActros 300 Battery Electric Trucks to service the Perth metropolitan area.
This brings the Hazelmere fleet to 30 electric trucks, all fuelled by onsite green energy supply. South site energy infrastructure includes 2.2MW of rooftop solar, 3.44MWh of battery storage, 75kW and 150kW chargers, and a back-up generator operating on HVO.
The project has been developed in partnership with ARENA under the Future Fuels Program.
Total project specifications include:
• 30 eActros 300 battery electric trucks – 25 rigid trucks and five prime movers
• 4.4MW of rooftop solar
• 10.3MWh of battery storage
• 15 dual-port slow and fast chargers
• Fully off-grid charging infrastructure
• Backup generation using HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil)
“The project is now fully operational, and it marks a significant milestone in progressing our decarbonisation journey,” said Justin Cardaci, CEO of Centurion.
“Completing this important infrastructure milestone and having the full electric truck fleet operational is a great outcome for Centurion. It shows that with the right partnerships and investment, sustainable freight solutions are achievable today.
“We’re not only reducing emissions but also providing electric trucks fuelled by green energy that can deliver a high-quality reliable service for our customers.”
The $36 million project was delivered in partnership with Daimler Truck, Cape Dunstans, Switch Batteries and BP Australia, and made possible through $15.8 million in funding from ARENA.
Daimler Truck said this project demonstrates how industry collaboration, renewable energy, and innovation can drive meaningful change in Australia’s transport and logistics sector, reducing emissions while maintaining operational performance.
“We’re thrilled to see 10 more Mercedes-Benz eActros trucks join Centurion’s off-grid solar fleet, joining the 20 units that have already been delivering for customers and producing zero exhaust emissions,” said Daimler Truck Australia Pacific President and CEO, Daniel Whitehead.
“Day 1 of Centurion’s 30-strong fully-electric eActros truck fleet marks an important milestone for sustainable logistics in Australia. This is a remarkable achievement and I would like to congratulate Justin Cardaci and his team at Centurion for making it a reality.”
The next step for the project is to optimise the integration of the green energy and electric truck fleet into Centurion’s wider operations at the Perth Airport depot.
“This project will generate significant learnings, and Centurion in conjunction with ARENA will be seeking to share this knowledge across the industry.”
- Make sure you grab your free copy of the August 1 issue of Big Rigs from the usual outlet for David Meredith’s interview with Justin Cardaci, a closer look at the $36 million transformation of Centurion’s Perth Airport depot and why it’s a game-changer for metro freight.