by Brianna Crandall — August 9, 2021 — Enel X, the advanced energy services arm of the global Enel Group, recently announced it is working with Biogen Inc. to electrify the global biotechnology company’s employee commercial fleet. As a member of the Climate Group’s EV100, a global initiative of companies accelerating the global transition to electric vehicles (EVs), Biogen is committed to transitioning its global fleet of over 1,000 vehicles to EVs by 2025. This collaboration with Enel X advances progress on Biogen’s Healthy Climate, Healthy Lives initiative to go fossil fuel free by 2040 and improve public health by advancing global targets for climate change and air pollution reduction.
According to the IEA’s Global EV Outlook 2021 , private sector demand for zero-emission commercial vehicles has accelerated the market for EVs. Through the collaboration, Biogen will provide employees with Enel X JuiceBox smart home charging stations, offering employees the convenience to charge company EVs at home, where more than 80% of EV charging typically takes place.
EnelX is providing Biogen take-home fleet drivers with JuiceBox smart charging stations (shown) and JuiceNet Fleet IoT software. Image courtesy EnelX
Enel X is providing Biogen with a turnkey fleet management solution, including JuiceBox smart charging stations and JuiceNet Fleet Internet of Things (IoT) software to manage the electric fleet through optimized charging times, and remote access control for station monitoring, as well as real-time monitoring and reporting. According to Enel X, this will provide Biogen with the cleanest charging option for its take-home fleet, reduce Biogen’s fleet operating costs over the lifetime of the EVs, and help balance the grid by utilizing off-peak charging, which generates bill savings for the customer and reduces strain on the grid during peak periods.
Additionally, Biogen is providing its take-home fleet drivers with Enel X’s JuiceEco, to match the energy consumed by each EV during charging with carbon-free electricity.
After achieving carbon neutrality in 2014, Biogen says it was the first Fortune 500 company to commit to fully decarbonize its operations by 2040 as part of Healthy Climate, Healthy Lives, its $250 million initiative to eliminate emissions and improve public health. Biogen was the first U.S. biotech company to join the Business Ambition for 1.5C, with ambitious Science Based Targets initiative approved goals. Electrifying Biogen’s fleet of over 1,000 electric vehicles around the world will represent emissions reductions of at least 7,000 pounds CO₂ per EV per year.
Both Enel X and Biogen share commitments to 100% fleet electrification with aggressive targets. Enel, the parent company of Enel X, is committed to achieving complete decarbonization by 2050. Enel says it has outlined clear objectives certified by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) around occupational health, sustainable supply chain, governance structure and environmental management.
This news followed Enel X’s May announcement of a partnership with the Martha’s Vineyard Transit Authority on a new solar and battery storage microgrid that will power an all-electric public transportation bus fleet for the island. Additionally, in September, Enel X, with support from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, announced a project with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) to support the electrification of public bus fleets for the MBTA.
