Cambridgeshire County Council has installed nine solar-powered EV charging points at its St Ives Park & Ride site, designed to make it easy for drivers to charge and then take the bus.
There are eight standard charging points housed on four columns available, as well as an accessible PAS compliant charger and parking bay designated for disabled drivers.
These 22kW chargers, which are installed by the parking bays closest to the bus stops, use renewable electricity produced by the Park & Ride’s smart energy grid – a network of solar panels mounted on canopies across the site.
To use the EV chargers, drivers can either register with the Genie Point app or make a contactless payment.
Later this year the Babraham Road Park & Ride site in Cambridge will introduce 35 renewable energy-powered EV charging points, including three accessible chargers and disabled parking bays.
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.”
