On site there will be a pool of shared electric bikes and cars equipped with Vehicle to Grid (V2G) technology.
We strongly believe that our transport habits need to change, and we need to drastically reduce reliance on fossil fuels for moving around. We intend to provide a pool of electric cars and bikes, which can be booked by the hour or longer by tenants, to eliminate the need for householders to have two cars each. The car pool will be easy to book and more affordable per mile than running your own petrol or diesel car. A crucial aspect of the EV proposal is that the cars will be able to discharge their batteries back into the grid. So, for example the cars will charge up when there is a big supply of electricity, during the day, when the sun is shining and there is less demand, then discharge their batteries in the evening when people get home and cook dinner etc. This is called ‘balancing’ it helps the site to make use of as much of its own solar energy as possible and reduces the need to import electricity from the grid. Running a V2G balanced microgrid is not yet commercially viable, and has not yet been done. We are at the forefront of innovation for new housing developments in a net zero world, and this will be challenging. But we believe it should be possible and a cost and carbon efficient use of the vehicles, given that a car is parked for 95% of the time. We'll be working with EV car clubs and technical experts to develop this proposal. There will also be at least 2 rapid charging points available for public use, these will provide a useful rapid charge facility to other residents of Ivybridge and Ugborough who may not have their own private charging, or just need a quick top up before a journey. Next... |