A new ultra-rapid charging hub said to be Scotland’s most powerful to date is going live in Dundee.

The Myrekirk roundabout site will feature a total of 24 ultra-rapid charging bays with a total capacity of almost two and a half megawatts

One of two new hubs being installed by SSE Energy Solutions in the city, the Myrekirk roundabout site will feature a total of 24 ultra-rapid charging bays with a total capacity of almost two and a half megawatts.

Eight of the bays will be powered by 360kW charge units, believed to be a first for Scotland and able to add up to 60 miles of range in some three minutes.

The remaining 16 bays will feature 150kW charge units, capable of delivering just under 8 miles of range per minute of charging to a standard family car.

The canopy will also incorporate a green roof populated with sedum plants to enhance the biodiversity of the site.

SSE is also developing a second hub in Dundee. Currently awaiting full planning permission, the project in the city’s Kingsway West area envisages eight charging bays with 150kW charge units and using kerbless charging areas to ensure accessibility for all.

This hub will also feature UK-first canopies fashioned from old wind turbine blades – subject to planning permission. The blades are being repurposed by Scottish company ReBlade, whose design is patent pending, and are likely to be used on future SSE EV charging hubs.

SSE plans to build 500 ultra-rapid EV charging hubs powered by traceable, renewable energy in the UK and Ireland by 2030 with several sites already under construction. The first hub, at Castlebank in Glasgow, opened in September of last year.

Data provided by the electric vehicle and charging point platform Zapmap shows that as of the 1st of April there were 40,150 public electric vehicle charging devices installed in the UK, an increase of 33% in a year. However, concerns remain that charging infrastructure is not keeping pace with electric vehicle sales.

Kevin Welstead, EV sector director at SSE Energy Solutions, said: “The Myrekirk hub represents our gold standard, a design we want to replicate across the country.

“With EV sales growing exponentially they are going to take up a significant proportion of our country’s total electricity demand over the coming years and at SSE we are investing to respond to that need, delivering innovative solutions such as these new hubs in Dundee.”

Fiona Lindsay, managing director of ReBlade, commented: “SSE’s vision for a circular, sustainable innovation is very much aligned with our own, so it’s fantastic to be working with them to pioneer the use of old wind turbine blades in public realm infrastructure.

“This is a ground-breaking project that demonstrates how practical circular uses can be found for turbine blade waste as it starts to come down in volume, and it’s exciting to be part of a global first in evidencing the circular potential of blades.”