Greenwheel Electric plans EV hub at Hunterston PARC

Greenwheel Electric has announced that it has exchanged an options agreement with Peel Ports Group for it to pursue plans for an application to build an Electric Vehicle (EV) charging hub powered by renewable energy at the Hunterston PARC (Port And Resource Campus) site.

The development – which is located at the site of the former coal terminal in Ayrshire – is in the early stages of the planning process.

The company’s ambition is to work collaboratively with local people, community councils, local groups and other developers at the site to hear directly from them as to what they would like to see provided at the hub and to reflect these needs as much as possible in the final design.

The location of the hub will provide convenient access for the area’s private and business users, supplying low-cost, ultra-rapid charging from 100 per cent renewable energy.

Peel Ports Group has been granted planning permission for the £150 million ($202.9 million) redevelopments of the site’s marine yard.

The project presents a unique opportunity to develop a facility that will support offshore wind developments, alongside other potential uses. Discussions are currently underway with several prospective developers.

Once operational, the wider Hunterston site is projected to generate £3.5 billion ($4.7 billion) in inward investment and create more than 5,000 jobs.

Kirstin Leckie, Senior Project Manager at Greenwheel Electric, said: “Our hub is the latest in a line of significant developments being announced for the site and we are delighted to be part of this exciting project.

“As a company we want to help EV users take charge of their experience through a direct connection to 100 per cent renewable generated power. Hunterston is a great location for us to launch an EV charging hub that will add value for the local community and align with wider decarbonisation targets for the transport sector.

“We look forward to engaging with local people as we work through the design of the site to ensure that we are able to submit the best possible planning application, embedding the needs of local businesses and nearby residential communities into the final offering.”

Lewis McIntyre, Managing Director of Port Services at Peel Ports Group, stated: “We’re delighted to welcome Greenwheel Electric as the latest partner to join Hunterston PARC. Their charging hub is a key element of our ambition to create a net zero campus – an environment that not only hosts world-leading renewable energy companies but is itself powered by green energy.

“We’re in active discussions with a number of interested parties on the final available plots on the site, and I’m confident that this latest development will only strengthen that interest.”

Earlier this month, CMA CGM announced the launch of an electric and hybrid inland barge project on the Fos–Lyon corridor, with an annual capacity potential of nearly 12,000 TEU and a targeted deployment within two years.