Scaling on Street Charging Infrastructure

"Most people on terraced streets who are thinking of getting an electric car are put off because there is nowhere to charge it locally. Local councils are stretched and unable to devote the time and resources to help residents get a chargepoint for their home.

While, they often manage the highways, public buildings and car parks, which could host chargepoints, navigating through the dizzying array of local authority departments with an interest in this area -- parking, highways, environmental health, property services -- would put off even the most enthusiastic citizen.

Scaling on Street Charging Infrastructure will carry out feasibility work on meeting our vision for the 8 million homes without off street parking to be within 5 minutes walk of an Electric Vehicle (EV) Chargepoint. This will deliver:

\* increased take up of electric vehicles, allowing people to save money on fuel costs;

\* reduced air pollution and CO2 emissions.

* OBJECTIVES & FEATURES

The project will carry out feasibility work to develop a Phase II application including the following elements:

a) planning community owned charging infrastructure in 4 Local Authority (LA) areas based on local demand, mapping data and engagement with local stakeholders;

b) incorporating a variety of additional uses into chargepoint infrastructure -- including 5G cells, battery storage and defibrillators. The project will assess the social and financial value for stakeholders as well as technical / commercial implications of each scenario;

c) consulting with local stakeholders from private, public and 3rd sectors in each of the target areas on sites for chargepoints and demand for EVs;

d) developing financial plans to scale up investment in the plans across the target areas and building a coherent business plan to scale up delivery.

DETAILS OF INNOVATION

The innovation lies in the business model -- giving local people the tools to identify and finance their own chargepoint with little reliance on LAs. It builds on earlier projects by assessing commercial impacts of integrating other technologies like solar panels on community centres to generate additional value. A demand lead approach - encouraging local people to invest, reduces the risk on public and private investors as they can target funding where chargepoints are most likely to be used. The project offers a new way for hard pressed LAs to stimulate chargepoints in their area and make the most of their limited resources."