A new scheme has launched to help property landlords and business workplaces work towards adopting low-carbon technologies such as EVs.

The Low Carbon Technology Customer Group will work with a range of organisations to identify challenges with deploying charging solutions and address them

UK Power Networks, the electricity distribution network operator for London, the South and East of England, wants to accelerate the next wave of low-carbon transport in the region.

It’s approaching the owners and managers of destination venues, property landlords and business workplaces that have long-term plans to install low carbon technology such as solar energy generation or electric vehicle charging hubs.

The DNO wants to help identify common challenges across groups and sectors, which previously haven’t needed to work with their local energy distributor, then identify common challenges and design practical solutions to help.

Its newly founded Low Carbon Technology Customer Group will initially work with a broad range of trade bodies and individuals, representing sectors ranging from social housing landlords to emergency services, leisure and retail development owners, farmers and even caravan and camping destinations.

Solutions could range from sector-specific toolkits to targeted, co-ordinated network investment programmes.

Adam Lakey, stakeholder engagement manager at UK Power Networks, said: “We’re looking for input from organisations like ambulance trusts or fire brigades to campsites or shopping destinations; anyone who knows that at some point over the next five to 10 years they want to install low-carbon technology like EV chargers or solar panels but doesn’t yet know how to go about it.

“We can offer advice and expertise about how to go about it in the most cost-effective way. For example, if you install solar panels and then add electric vehicle charge points it may work out cheaper than upgrading your electricity supply for the charge points then adding solar power later.”

Research by the DNO has indicated that the number of electric vehicles connected to its networks will increase almost tenfold in the next five years, from 310,000 now to 2.6 million in 2028.

Lakey added: “We know there’s a vast range of existing buildings, developments and organisations that want to decarbonise. By starting a conversation with us through this new group we can help people do it more easily, quickly and cost-efficiently.”

Last year saw UK Power Networks launch its Green Recovery programme, a £66m scheme to supercharge green energy infrastructure projects. This includes work to enable 11 motorway service areas to install more than 600 ultra-fast 150kW chargers.

To find out more about participating in the LCT Customer Group, please email LCT@ukpowernetworks.co.uk.