News Article
Sunny Start For UK Cars
Transport minister unveils eTap solar EV charging stations
Use the Sun, Evolt and APT Technologies combine to launch pioneering EV charging facility to harness solar energy. A solar-powered electric vehicle (EV) charging facility that could radically impact the future of EV travel in the UK has just been launched. Transport minister Norman Baker unveiled the eTap solar powered EV chargers at the Centre for Engineering and Manufacturing Excellence (CEME).
eTap has been developed in collaboration with electric vehicle charging specialist APT Technologies and solar technology company Use The Sun. The charging station comprises forty-five solar panels that form a canopy over six parking bays, each equipped with an Evolt charging point from APT Technologies.
On the launch of eTap, transport minister Norman Baker comments: “The emerging plug-in vehicle infrastructure market offers commercial opportunities for companies with innovative technologies and business models, such as the eTap solar powered plug in points. We will watch the development of this technology with interest.”
eTap , short for electricity on Tap (www.electricityontap.co.uk), is an ideal sustainable resource for operators of outdoor car parks and those with outdoor facilities who wish to provide recharging services for their customers with electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, whilst also benefitting from the generated electricity.
eTap charging points could soon be found all over the UK, according to Use the Sun Director Charles Montlake: “While the technology is in its early stages, the potential here could see eTap charging stations in car parks up and down the UK. We're looking at both urban and remote areas as the eTap solution will suit locations where EV drivers will park for a few hours”.
According to Justin Meyer, Business Development Manager at APT Technologies, recent Governmental commitments to decarbonise surface transport in the UK makes eTap a shrewd and timely choice for businesses: “The principles behind electric vehicles are becoming increasingly more popular as environmentally-aware drivers seek a greener alternative to consuming non-renewable fuels. It is currently estimated that by 2020, there will be more than 1.7 million electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles in the UK.
“Inevitably,” he continues, “those drivers' choice of destination will be heavily influenced by the availability of charging facilities and thus it follows that by installing the eTap, companies will be providing an indispensable service to the electric vehicle driver and simultaneously driving awareness of their own business.”
The solar panels will generate an estimated 8,500kWh of Electricity a year, enough to 50% charge over 700 vehicles. Connecting the panels to a nearby building means a financial return from day 1 through the 25 year Feed in Tariff contract. It is estimated that the electricity produced by the eTap's solar panels will earn its owners an annual return of 7% (increasing with RPI).
A bespoke Pay by Phone system will turn the Evolt chargers on and off as required and collect charging revenue by credit card, further enhancing the long term profitability of the eTap.
As the supplier of the eTap, Use The Sun, is in fact so confident of its profitability that the company is offering to install it for free and keep the income, allowing the location owner to keep the free electricity and share the income from the vehicle charging.
When the panels generate more electricity than the chargers need the remainder will be feed in to a nearby building's supply to be used free of charge, when the demand for charging exceeds supply the balance can be drawn from the same supply.
Use The Sun, established in 2009, is committed to the development of new sustainable technologies and the large-scale application of solar energy across the UK. It is working alongside APT Technologies, the innovative distributor of the Evolt range of EV charging points that have proved immensely successful across Europe.
Under the deal with CEME Use the Sun will be installing eTap at its premises free of charge. Use the Sun will keep the income, CEME will benefit from the free electricity generated and be reimbursed for the cost of any electricity used by the chargers.
