Copec, the Chilean Petroleum Company, a company with more than 87 years in the hearts of Chileans and which is now turning its operations towards renewable and sustainable energies, will be in charge of energizing and building the first electric terminal for public transport with the RED standard (the integrated transport system of the Chilean capital) outside the Metropolitan Region, in Antofagasta, which will supply power to 40 electric buses.
Through an agreement with Green Energy, the company was awarded the tender that confirms Antofagasta as the first city outside of Santiago to implement this type of technology in urban passenger mobility.
Copec Voltex will define the design, engineering, construction and maintenance of the electroterminal, as well as the load management and energy supply software. The fleet control and battery monitoring services stand out, which aim to develop a more efficient charging process by directly connecting the information from the buses with that from the chargers.
Francisco Larrondo, manager of Copec Voltex, commented that "as a company we are taking on new challenges, with the aim of strengthening the electric charging infrastructure throughout the country, in order to continue expanding the benefits of electromobility to more people every day. , and today we have joined the project that will improve the mobility and quality of life of the inhabitants of Antofagasta”.
The infrastructure -also provided by Copec- includes offices, basic service areas, lubrication workshops, washing areas, among others. The chargers will be 10 Copec Voltex fast-charging units, with 150 kW of power, which will allow the buses to be charged in approximately 2.5 hours; these will be located on a second floor thanks to the implementation of a retractable system, which will allow for a faster and safer operation. Each charger will have an intelligent load management monitoring system that will facilitate the daily operation of the buses, minimizing operating costs and maximizing the availability of the equipment itself.
Operating with electric buses in a city like Antofagasta has a lower impact on the environment due to air and noise pollution, since these buses are less noisy than a combustion bus, in addition to being more efficient in terms of energy use.
It is estimated that the new center and electric fleet will come into operation in mid-2023.