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Sam Illsley, Head of Public Sector at Mer, discusses the centrality of electric mobility to green transport initiatives and local authorities’ soon-to-be-legislated EV charging strategy demands.
Green transport methods can significantly decarbonise UK transport by cutting one-quarter of greenhouse gas emissions. It can also improve public health, stopping the human-made pollution responsible for between 28,000 and 36,000 deaths per year in the UK.
Any plan to create ‘green transport’ infrastructure must put electric vehicles (EVs) at the centre. It cannot rely on one mode of transport to the detriment of others. While active modes of transport, such as walking and cycling should be supported and encouraged at the foremost, the fact remains that EVs, whether fleet, personal, or public, are essential to many types and lengths of journey.
What’s more, the varied landscapes and communities that local authorities represent, from dense city centres to rural hamlets, mean they must find equally varied ways to support future electrified mobility. Rural communities cannot be overlooked.
Of primary importance to any strategy, however, should be the use of renewable energy sources in tandem with electric charging. Failing to use renewable energy to energise EV charging points will significantly hinder local authorities’ efforts and obligations to meet their net zero targets. Electric vehicle charging infrastructure partners that power all their charge points with 100% renewable, zero-carbon energy, such as Mer, are best placed to support public sector bodies in their transitions.
While over 300 local authorities have showed leadership by declaring a climate emergency and nearly two thirds of councils in England aim to be carbon neutral by 2030, an equal number have not yet to set out concrete or clear plans for EV charging. This is set to change as the Government announced upcoming legislation that will require local authorities to create and publish EV charging strategies.
Alongside using 100% renewable energy, any new local authority strategy must focus on expanding public charging infrastructure as a priority. Two-fifths of UK households don’t have driveways, so cannot currently charge at home. The need for public charging solutions is skyrocketing too, as estimates suggest that EV sales over the next seven years will account for over two-thirds of vehicles.
Accompanying the growth in the number of public chargers, local authorities must strategize where they are located and the types they install too. They must find the balance between charger speeds – from slow to ultra-rapid – and dwell times and determine the power at potential charging locations. This can be a complex task. Mer has partnered with more than 50 public sector entities in the UK, delivering scalable electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions to hospitals, county councils, and more.
This article replaces the one featured in the Nov/Dec print edition of Public Sector Focus which was published in error.
More Information:
Learn more about Mer’s 100% renewable charging solutions here: www.mer.eco