To be truly future proof, charging solutions need more than just the right hardware and professional installation. By integrating photovoltaic systems into the overall concept right from the start, customers will be spared from having to make new investments after just a few years.

In the future, a large portion of the energy we use will be generated locally, i.e. in the same building, both for personal use and for mobility. The idea of combining photovoltaics and charging stations is thus becoming increasingly attractive for both residential buildings and commercial properties – and this in turn has increased demand for integrated services that offer everything from a single source, including consulting, planning, configuration, installation and maintenance.

Helion, founded in 2008, is the market leader in the Swiss photovoltaic industry, with a focus on offering just such a complete service. It employs more than 450 people and has implemented more than 10,000 projects to date – including joint projects with Juice.

Solutions Must be Compatible and Updateable
Helion's portfolio of successful projects ranges from simple systems with just a single charging station to multi-storey car parks with over 100 parking spaces. Each type of project presents completely different challenges. With single charging stations, users often want to charge their car with their own solar power as much as possible. To achieve this, the charging technology software has to be able to communicate with the solar management system. Larger installations, on the other hand, require full interoperability, for example so that AC and DC charging stations can be integrated into the same energy management system and managed centrally regardless of manufacturer. And the charging stations need to be equipped with all common communication interfaces and be compatible with universal protocols.

In the future, systems will need to be even more intelligently interconnected, not only to optimise the local energy load distribution but also to ensure that generation and consumption are in balance overall, in order to guarantee the stability of the power grid. The rapid change occurring within the industry and the ever shifting requirements mean that updatability is an extremely important factor as well. Silvio Affolter, Project Manager for Electromobility at Helion: "We prefer systems that have a large range of functions and that can be expanded through updates. Juice products allow Helion to tailor a system to the exact needs of the customer. Juice devices keep pace with the market's rapid pace of innovation thanks to their ability to be updated and upgraded."

Speed, Flexibility and Customer Service
For Helion, this means that they can always offer their customers the latest, cutting-edge product. Chargers from Juice are quick and easy to install and can be easily retrofitted as necessary. They feature a robust housing and solid workmanship. Some of the functions that come standard from Juice are not yet available from other manufacturers, such as the Plug&Charge standard according to ISO 15118, in which the station automatically recognizes the vehicle and starts the charging process, with no RFID card required for activation. Provided that the vehicle already supports this function, of course.

"Other advantages of Juice charging stations are their clever design, their high quality and the fact that they are Swiss made, which is becoming more important these days, just as it was in the past," Silvio Affolter continues. Juice's excellent product support is also a factor that cannot be overlooked. Because of their geographical proximity to Juice and their close collaboration, Helion can also guarantee fast and reliable service and shorter delivery times for its products: "In the case of Juice, we have a very close relationship with the manufacturer. This allows us to quickly get to the bottom of any issues and to introduce improvements to the products directly."

The Keys to Success: Quality, Expertise and Future-Proofing
For Helion, it's important that the products they recommend are not only safe and technically sound, but also future proof. After just a single project with the JUICE CHARGER me, Helion was won over by the enormous potential and the many user benefits of Juice devices, and they decided to deepen their cooperation with Juice Technology.