Motoring on wind and solar power

27 July 2011

ChargePoint Services has announced a partnership with green energy supplier Ecotricity, to install the world’s first national network of EV charge points powered solely by natural energy resources.

The free to use EV charge points are being installed up and down the length of the UK at 27 motorway service stations owned by Welcome Break. Each charge point will provide both 3 pin and 7 pin sockets offering single and 3 phase charging to the motorist, ensuring all types of electric vehicles can utilise the facility, now and into the future.

ChargePoint Services (CPS) has supplied the specialist product solution combining Younicos technology, and CPS own Charge Point Management System (CPMS). The CPS Yana 40 is uniquely fitted with a solar panel, integral to the unit, which will generate additional electricity to power the charge point.

All the charge points will utilise ChargePoint Services’ 1st phase Network Management Software (NMS), to provide the essential control infrastructure, with the server maintaining a database of all registered users, providing authentication and usage recording. Ecotricity will not charge drivers to charge their vehicles, although the system is capable of providing billing facilities through the CPMS.

Dale Vince OBE, founder of Ecotricity, said: “We’re creating the infrastructure to get Britain’s electric car revolution moving. These posts are the most advanced available, backed up with the power of the sun, and they’re future-proof too. With world oil prices going through the roof, you’ll now be able to get around Britain using only the power of the wind. We're at the beginning of the end of the oil industry.”

Drivers will be able to sign up to use the charge point for free at Ecotricity’s website www.ecotricity.co.uk/on themove and at the Charge Point website – www.chargepointservices.com.

Alex Bamberg, Sales Director, ChargePoint Services Ltd, said. “Making a difference to our environment is a team effort, and combining the technical expertise of two specialised organisations such as Ecotricity and ChargePoint Services has resulted in the substantial contribution of being able to provide clean energy directly to power the latest electric vehicles. Working with the Ecotricity team has achieved a World first for our organizations and a major step forward for green transportation in the UK.”

The charge point is the first in the world to be installed offering drivers of electric vehicles both the convenience of a public charge point, together with the choice of choosing to power their vehicle with energy produced solely from sustainable natural resources, making their vehicles the cleanest on the road.