New guide urges Local Authorities to appoint ‘EV Champion’ to drive EV deployment

• REA launches a new guide for Local Authorities which details a number of pragmatic actions they can take to support EV deployment.
• REA call on Local Authorities to establish ‘Energy Boards’ and appoint one councillor as an ‘EV Champion’.
• Viable EV charging network is crucial to the development of a mass-market.

The Renewable Energy Association has today launched “Taking Charge: how local authorities can champion electric vehicles,” a guide for Local Authority (LA) officers, councilors, developers, and individuals designed to educate them about the taxes and grants available to Local Authorities, and highlight ‘best practice’ in the sector.

A number of practical and cost-effective potential actions have been put forward by the REA which can facilitate the deployment of EV infrastructure and encourage vehicle take-up. Such actions include:

• Appoint an “EV Champion,” a councillor who can be a main contact point for the public and developers who can help navigate the process of charging infrastructure being developed
• Make the ‘Milton Keynes Promise,’ to better inform residents of existing locations, and guarantee that on-street charge points will be installed next to the homes of those who operate an EV
• Create a dedicated EV webpage where residents can request charging infrastructure
• New ‘Energy Boards’ could investigate ways of saving money by coordinating EV roll-out, switching to renewable energy providers for their properties, a investing in solar and energy-from-waste projects
• Commit to purchasing EVs as part of the council’s transport fleet, or work with bus service operators to electrify their bus fleet (or have it powered by renewable gas)
• Deploy EV charge points on council property, potentially co-located with a solar carport canopy and energy storage system

The report is sponsored by Alfa Power, a new entrant into the EV chargepoint development and renewable electricity supply sector, based in Yorkshire. The Taking Charge report can be read online here.

Commenting on the launch of the guide, Dr Nina Skorupska CBE, Chief Executive at the Renewable Energy Association, said:

“It is clear that as costs fall and battery ranges improve, the choice to buy an electric car or van will become more commonplace.

“While the drivers of this historic shift may be global, the impacts will be local and Local Authorities will be on the front lines. The expectation that a reliable, accessible, and affordable charging infrastructure will be in place is, in the eyes of much of the public, the responsibility of local government.

“We hope that this pragmatic action plan can equip all local authorities, even those with constrained budgets, to tackle the challenges and opportunities of electric vehicles head on. Ultimately, the goal is improved air quality, reduced carbon emissions, and reduced running costs for consumers.”

Alex Hinchcliffe, Business Development Director at new market entrant Alfa Power (a charge point developer and renewable electricity supplier), said:

“Local Authorities have a key role in supporting chargepoint deployment in locations such as schools, supermarkets, and on-street for residents.

“We are absolutely delighted that we have been able to develop a complimentary home charging solution and a very affordable smart home charging solution. Both these options are green and the smart charging option will comply with the new government regulations.

“We will continue to work tirelessly on an offering that will also make the smart charging option free to the home owner.”

Rt Hon Dame Cheryl Gillan MP (Con), Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Electric and Automated Vehicles, said:

“We are living through an era of extraordinary change in the transport sector. The Government is advancing legislation and a suite of research and commercialisation projects with the goal of the UK becoming an international leader in EVs. Developing a charging network is key to achieving this aim. For local authorities, funding is available to develop on-street charging and tax relief in place to help drive EV sales.

“This report builds on the tools currently available to local authorities and puts forward a suite of pragmatic, cost-effective policies that can empower them to further develop strategically-located charging infrastructure.”

—ENDS—

For more information or to request an interview, please contact:

Daniel Brown
External Affairs Officer
+44 (0)20 7981 0857
[email protected]

Notes to editors 

• The report was unveiled at the REA’s EV Experience conference in London on Thursday 7th June.
• The REA serves as secretariat for the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Electric and Automated Vehicles, which aims to engage parliamentarians interested in future low-carbon transport technologies concentrating mainly on electric vehicles, automated vehicles, and low carbon fuels together with infrastructure requirements and safety issues. The APPG brings together manufacturers, businesses, media, NGOs, and experts to share information, promote awareness, and debate future policy options. Details of the APPG can be found here.
• The action plan was developed by REA’s electric vehicle sector group and by interviews with external stakeholders. It aims to establish best practice and advice to local authorities interested in leading the roll-out of EV charge points in their area.

About the Renewable Energy Association (REA)

The Renewable Energy Association represents renewable energy producers and promotes the use of all forms of renewable energy in the UK across power, heat, transport and recycling. It is the largest renewable energy and clean technology (including energy storage and electric vehicles) trade association in the UK, with around 550 members, ranging from major multinationals to sole traders.

The REA’s EV sector group is comprised of around 50 members delivering the critical infrastructure needed to deliver the transition to a zero emission car and van future.

For more information, visit: www.r-e-a.net