The project, carried out by the Abfallwirtschaft Region Hannover (aha) in partnership with the engineering firm Meinhardt Fulst GmbH (IMF) and the installation company Elektrobau Hannover, aimed to expand the charging infrastructure for the organization’s own electric vehicle fleet at two key sites: Gertrud‑Knebusch‑Straße and Karl‑Wiechert‑Allee. The initiative was funded and overseen by aha, with a project period from 1 August 2018 to 30 September 2022, and an extended experience‑transfer phase planned until 2025. A scientific and engineering support component (AP 2.3.4) was integrated throughout the project to document findings and disseminate results.
Technically, the first construction phase at Gertrud‑Knebusch‑Straße involved the installation of seven charging points, bringing the site to the maximum medium‑voltage connection capacity allowed by local regulations. The second phase planned a capacity expansion of the transformer station to support further charging infrastructure, a milestone identified as 2.3.5‑1. The civil works, including trenching and cable laying, were completed on schedule, and the transformer station and associated medium‑voltage and low‑voltage switchgear were commissioned in the first quarter of 2021. A new load‑management system, capable of handling up to 50 charging points, replaced the outdated 2018 system. This required the retrofitting of a medium‑voltage meter on the transformer and the addition of further components. The system is now active and continuously records charging data, although the volume of usable data is limited because the fleet of electric commercial vehicles with the required configurations has not yet been delivered by manufacturers such as Volkswagen and Daimler.
The project also tested various load‑management strategies during the first operating year. These strategies were refined in joint meetings between aha, IMF, and the charger manufacturer, with the goal of optimizing both ecological and economic performance. However, the lack of a sufficient number of electric vehicles on site prevented the collection of representative data, leading to the suspension of the engineering‑scientific monitoring and optimization phase. The overall performance of the charging infrastructure is therefore described in terms of installation milestones and system capabilities rather than operational metrics.
The collaboration structure was clear: aha served as the project owner and funder, IMF provided engineering support and optimization of load strategies, and Elektrobau Hannover executed the installation of the charging points. Regular project meetings were held throughout the duration to coordinate activities, address delays caused by the COVID‑19 pandemic and supply‑chain disruptions, and ensure alignment with the project’s objectives. The high‑voltage installation was tendered under the VOB/A EU‑wide procedure, and the project adhered to the original schedule for the 2019 start of the high‑voltage works.
In summary, the project successfully established a foundational charging network at two operational sites, upgraded the load‑management system to support up to 50 charging points, and laid the groundwork for future expansion. While the intended data‑driven optimization of load strategies could not be fully realized due to vehicle availability constraints, the infrastructure and system upgrades provide a robust platform for the continued electrification of aha’s fleet and offer valuable insights for similar initiatives in the region.