Charging Cost Optimisation for Waste Collection Fleets

Many fleet managers assume charging cost optimisation comes at the expense of fleet uptime.

But Valoriza Servicios Medioambientales SA, one of Spain’s largest waste management companies, is proving otherwise.

Over the past few months, we’ve been helping Valoriza manage charging for its mixed fleet — from nimble city vans to heavy-duty garbage trucks — and the results speak for themselves. By combining smart orchestration, solar integration, and tariff arbitrage, they’ve transformed their waste depot into a model of efficiency.

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The Challenge of Electrifying a Waste Collection Fleet

Transitioning a large fleet to electric power isn’t just about installing chargers — it’s about managing power intelligently.
At Valoriza’s depots:

• 80 MWh of energy is transferred every month.
  
  
• 85% of chargers are AC units, which makes tracking State of Charge (SOC) and vehicle identification more complex.
  
  
• The remaining DC chargers are used strategically to handle peak demand or delays.
  
  
• Vehicles range from small utility vans to high-capacity refuse trucks.
  
  

Without robust EV charging software, this complexity could quickly lead to inefficiencies, higher costs, and costly depot power penalties.

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The Smart Solution: Orchestration Over Speed

Using Bia’s intelligent EV charging software, Valoriza now:

• Identifies each vehicle via RFID upon arrival.
  
  
• Forecasts energy needs for the entire fleet.
  
  
• Schedules charging sessions to maximise savings rather than just fill batteries.
  
  

The results?

• Over €6,000 saved each month from solar charging and tariff arbitrage.
  
  
• 0 power penalties — no matter the season.
  
  
• 100% fleet uptime, even with mostly AC charging infrastructure.
  
  

This approach proves that with the right EV charging software, fleets can achieve exceptional charging cost optimisation without investing in excessive infrastructure.

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Why This Matters for Your Fleet

Whether you manage a municipal waste service or a private logistics operation, avoiding depot power penalties while keeping operating costs low is a competitive advantage. Smart charging isn’t just about preventing downtime — it’s about turning every charging session into a cost-saving opportunity.

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Check Your Depot’s Power Penalties in 15 Minutes

Want to know if your depot is losing money to power penalties?
We can calculate them for you in under 15 minutes.

👉 Visit www.biapower.io and see how much you could save.

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