Electricity North West to invest further £4m in green tech

Electricity North West is to invest an additional £4m in green technology, including bringing electric vehicle charging points to some of Lancashire's busiest routes.

The organisation had previously announced plans to spend £7.5m upgrading the electricity network which powers Samlesbury Aerospace Enterprise Zone.

Now it has secured more than £20m from Ofgem’s Green Recovery scheme, of which £4m will be invested in projects which will help the red rose county contribute towards a zero carbon UK. 

A public consultation in February highlighted a demand for electric vehicle charging points at motorway services, including Lancaster, which Electricity North West will now prioritise, while the company is also to create a £1m fund to support EV charging hubs along major A-roads across the region.

Electricity North West’s Pre-Sense project will also help it monitor demand on the region’s low-voltage network, allowing it to optimise capacity to support the adoption of low-carbon technologies like heat pumps and EVs.

Peter Emery, CEO of Electricity North West, said: "The race is on for the UK to hit its environmental targets and to succeed, we need to act now.

"The disruption caused by Covid-19 also requires an immediate response and we are determined to make the environment the focus by building back better. By bringing forward some of these projects, we will power up the green recovery and help lead the north west towards net zero."

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