Energy giants SSE and bus firm Stagecoach are pooling their collective energy and transport expertise to pilot a new community electric vehicle charging hub.
Their aim is to drive Scotland on the road to net zero.
Plans were announced as SSE’s Road to Renewables e-bus tour celebrating low carbon projects and people across the UK, reached the company’s Perth headquarters.
With Glasgow hosting COP26, Stagecoach and SSE’s collaboration will maximise the efficiency of EV infrastructure and encourage the take up of green transport in Scotland.
Under the plans Stagecoach bus depots, which SSE Energy Solutions provide the EV infrastructure for, could become available to other fleet users such as logistics companies, when buses are out on service.
Normally, buses are normally out on the road providing vital community links from around 7am to 7pm and are then charged overnight.
This means the charging infrastructure is potentially free and available during the day for other electric vehicles to be charged from. This approach could assist efforts to create a network of rapid charging hubs for fleets which travel across the country.
Transport produced over a quarter of the UK’s total carbon emissions before the pandemic, with 91 per cent coming from road transport vehicles. The biggest contributors to this were cars and taxis, accounting for 61 per cent of the emissions from road transport, while a total of 35% is from Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) and vans.
Kevin Welstead, EV sector director of SSE Energy Solutions, said: “This is a game changing idea with the potential to really accelerate Scotland’s journey to net zero. COP26 coming to Scotland is a vivid reminder that we need to get more green and clean transport on our roads; and we believe a network of EV community hubs could hold the key to doing just that. We’re excited to be partnering with Stagecoach on this pilot who share our vision to get more people using greener transport so we can provide cleaner air and combat climate change.”
Sam Greer, Stagecoach regional director for Scotland, said: “We are delighted to be launching a pilot of the community charging hub concept in partnership with SSE, two companies with strong commitments to delivering on Scotland’s net zero ambitions. Electric charging infrastructure is a significant investment.
“As well as helping accelerate decarbonisation, it would complement the wider opportunities beyond technology to cut carbon emissions from the transport sector and reduce local air pollution through a shift away from cars to more sustainable public transport, cycling and walking.”
During the photocall at SSE’s Perth headquarters at Inveralmond House, staff learned more about how they can play their part in combating climate change by choosing greener EV options for themselves.
Stagecoach has partnered with SSE to deliver the charging infrastructure for its new e-buses being introduced before the end of 2021 at its depots in Aberdeen and Perth.
The location for the new community charging hub pilot will be announced later this year.
