Solar-powered electric vehicle charging is now available at the St Ives Park & Ride site.
Nine EV charging points have been installed by the parking bays closest to the bus stops making it easy to charge up while you take the bus. Eight standard charging points housed on four columns are available for everyone to use with a further accessible PAS compliant charger and parking bay designated for disabled drivers.
The 22 kW chargers use renewable electricity produced by the Park & Ride’s smart energy grid – a network of solar panels mounted on canopies across the site. This means drivers choosing to top up their EV battery at the Park & Ride will benefit from some of the greenest EV charging available in the UK.
To use the EV chargers, drivers can either register with the Genie Point app or make a contactless payment. Powering up costs 50 pence per kWh plus a fixed connection charge of £1.25 per use. Revenue from the EV chargers and the renewable energy produced by the smart energy grid supports the provision of front-line council services including social care.
Chair of Cambridgeshire County Council’s Environment & Green Investment Committee, Councillor Ros Hathorn said: “We’re committed to becoming a net zero county by 2045, so it’s great to see innovative projects like the St Ives Smart Energy Grid deliver some of the renewable energy we need right here on our own Park & Ride site.
“The solar powered grid has already saved over 110 tonnes of CO2e since it started producing renewable energy whilst powering the site and exporting electricity to the national grid - raising revenue that is being used to fund vital council services.
“Now drivers can choose to charge their electric vehicles from the renewable energy generated on site quickly and easily - with the tap of a card - whenever they Park & Ride.”
Introduction of the county council’s electric vehicle charging provision is being coordinated across council owned sites, so when EV charging comes online at Babraham Road Park & Ride site later this year drivers will be able to use the same app and type of chargers in both locations.
Babraham Road Park & Ride site will include 35 renewable energy powered EV charging points including 3 accessible chargers and disabled parking bays.
